Earlswood and Redhill Common Steering Group minutes - 31 October 2024

Wednesday 31 October 2024 at 6.30pm at Reigate & Banstead Town Hall, Castlefield Road, Reigate.

24/01. Attendance and opening remarks

Chair welcomes members to the meeting.

24/02. benches

Three new benches proposed for Earlswood Common. Group granted approval.

24/03. Mowing and New Pond Farm

The common has now been cut (late September). A new mowing regime by Reigate School was suggested which involves cutting every other year. The new mowing regime for NPF was presented whereby areas will be mown on a 3 year rotation. The interactive map will be continued to develop, be sent out to the group and then published online.

24/04. Wild Flower Meadow Proposal

Wild Surrey has offered to buy wildflower seeds to plant on Earlswood Common. The original location of the Reigate School Pond enclosure was rejected as SE had concerns over nutrient build up and didn’t want to lose the wetland habitat features currently there and to progress it as a wild area. Due to all the silt that was left there when the pond was distilled, a lot of nutrients remain in the soil and therefore is not suitable for wildflower meadow creation. TC and SE to locate a suitable alternative location.

24/05. Work Programme- Council

The council has done bracken cutting, Sycamore/ woodland thinning, mowing and collecting arisings from the volunteers (Reigate school pond).

24/06. Work Programme- Volunteers

Cleared ponds of excess vegetation and removed invasive species (Reigate school Pond, Chain Pond, Ponds E of main road), bat walks, Laurel removal at Redhill Common.

24/07. Pond/ fishing club update

Barley straw has been installed, aerator now in to help with algae. Potential for Lakes subgroup. The silt trap will be emptied soon. Horley Piscatorial Society to review fish stocks to move away from Carp to Silver fish stocks. Removal of boating infrastructure in pond (ropes and buoys). The Upper Lake has Blue Green algae present and warning signs have been installed.

24/08. Terms of Reference

The group feel it is time for an updated version of the Terms of Reference.

24/09. AOB

Concerns were raised about the path improvements by the ring. It was done to improve access for emergency vehicles, protect the common and make it less muddy. The majority of the existing access consists of road plainings therefore that’s what was used for the repairs. Concerns were raised about the Petridge Wood Common cricket club reinstatement. TC believed this to be a matter for planning. John, the council’s conservation officer believed Earlswood Common to be historic parkland therefore SCC tree planting could not go ahead.

24/10. Date of next meeting

TBC

Actions

TC actions:

• Email Planning enforcement regarding Petridgewood Common reseeding plan
• Chase up Tommy to remove the ropes and buoys.
• Send completed grass cutting map
• Speak to GIS team to publish the interactive map online
• Investigate a suitable alternative location for the wild flower meadow
• Update Terms of Reference

SE actions:

• Investigate a suitable alternative location for the wild flower meadow

Notes:

1. Numbering system:

• The next set of minutes should begin with the next consecutive number following the last numbered item in the previous set of minutes, e.g., 19/13 (last number in last set of minutes); 19/14 (first number in the following set of minutes).
• When the year changes, the first two digits should also change to reflect the change of year, e.g., 19/78 (last); 20/01 (first).

This system avoids the need to retain agenda.