News Update October 2023

Bramley Fuel Pollution Update - 21st October 2023

Reports of fuel smells and evidence of fuel in the stream, especially following heavy rainfall have been reported over the last few months. Both Jeremy Hunt MP and Jane Austin our local councillor have been pressing both the Environment Agency (EA) and Waverley Borough Council's Environmental Team for an update on investigations.

We have now received an update from the EA and Waverley Borough Council following their recent meeting with EPS Limited - the petrol station owner's environmental consultants. They have confirmed that there has been gross contamination of soils/ground water by petrol under the petrol filling station.

Over the past few weeks EPS Limited have been piloting/trialling options to determine the most appropriate remedial options to remove and treat the contamination and clean up the petrol station.

You may have seen that a boom has been placed across the stream to adsorb any surface water contamination going downstream and this is being monitored. EPS are undertaking further investigations, including drilling more boreholes to understand where product may have migrated to off site and the extent of this off site contamination.

EPS have now produced a report on the results of their investigation a PDF of which can be found below.

This is an incredibly important issue for all of us and we need to understand what is happening. The Parish Council will continue to press for information and answers for our village and for the situation to be addressed and appropriately remedied as soon as possible.

Voter ID

The UK Government has introduced a requirement for voters to show photo ID when voting at a polling station at some elections. This new requirement will apply for the first time in England at the local elections on Thursday 4 May 2023.

Which forms of ID can I use to vote?

You may already have a form of photo ID that is acceptable.  You can use any of the following:

•           Passport

•           Driving licence (including provisional license)

•           Blue badge

•           Certain concessionary travel cards

•           Identity card with PASS mark (Proof of Age Standards Scheme)

•           Biometric Immigration document

•           Defence identity card

•           Certain national identity cards

 

For more information on which forms of photo ID will be accepted, visit electoralcommission.org.uk/voterID or call their helpline on 0800 328 0280.

If you don’t have an accepted form photo ID

If you don’t already have an accepted form of photo ID, or you’re not sure whether your photo ID still looks like you, you can apply for a free voter ID document, known as a Voter Authority Certificate. You can apply for this at voter-authority-certificate.service.gov.uk.

Alternatively, you can complete a paper application form and send this to the electoral services team at your local council.

If you need any help with applying for a Voter Authority Certificate or want to request an application form, contact your local council. To find their contact details visit electoralcommission.org.uk/voter.

Find out more

If you have any questions or would like to find out more, go to electoralcommission.org.uk/voterID, or call their helpline on 0800 328 0280.