News

Have your say on a new pedestrian bridge over the Ock

The Milford golf course development has provided the parish with a unique opportunity to improve pedestrian movement around the village.

The proposal would be  to build a footbridge between Busdens Way and the golf course development. This would provide a shorter and safer way for pedestrians coming from the Milford Lodge estate, Oxted Green, and New Road who wish to access Milford rail station, or Tescos and Squires.  It avoids having to use Rake Lane, which is unlit, lacks pavements, and has poor sight lines, making it one of the most dangerous roads in the area.

The bridge could  be wide enough and strong enough to take mobility scooters as well as people on foot. It would be accessed by a new footpath from the golf course development and by using an existing footpath between Busdens Way and the adjoining garages (as shown on the drawing).  Should such a facility be built at this time it is likely that it could be paid for using external funds at no cost to the ratepayers.

Witley & Milford Parish Council believes that this a one-time opportunity to provide an upgrade to the footpath network which improves safety, and shortens walking distances, but before we progress any further with the proposal we are seeking your views.

Please visit our Survey Monkey poll www.surveymonkey.com/r/R8BCVZZ to make your views known.

If you are unable to access Survey Monkey online please call the office on 01483 422044 and speak to the Clerk.

Job Vacancy

We are recruiting a new Clerk to join our team!

Witley & Milford Parish Council is dedicated to playing a key role in the future growth of the community and is seeking a forward-thinking Clerk to build on the success of what has been achieved over the last few years.  

We are seeking somebody who shares our values of community service, to lead our dedicated staff team and to work actively with elected members.  In return we offer a competitive salary and LGPS pension.

We invite applicants who have a demonstrable track record in leadership, are community focussed, and possess sound managerial, communication and organisational skills.  This role will require strategic thinking, adaptability and readiness to evolve as the local government landscape develops.  We are seeking somebody who will proactively prepare for emerging challenges and opportunities whilst safeguarding the Council’s strong governance and financial stewardship.

The Clerk leads a small, professional team which manages a wide range of facilities including playgrounds, recreation and sports facilities, open spaces, allotments and a cemetery and churchyard.

The role is being advertised for 30-37 hours per week.  Requests for hybrid working will be considered.

The starting salary is SCP34 (£45,091 FTE).

The closing date for applications is 12pm on Friday 17^th October 2025.  Interviews will take place week commencing 20^th October 2025.

A recruitment pack and job application form can be downloaded below. For further information or an informal discussion, please contact Sarah Nash on 01483 422044 or email

Recruitment Pack

Application Form

Local Government Reorganisation

Here is the Parish Council’s response to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government consultation on local government reorganisation.

Witley and Milford Parish Council (WMPC) wish to respond to the consultation on the future shape of local government in Surrey, following the submissions from Surrey County Council and the majority of the districts in the county.

WMPC lies within Waverley Borough, where it is the fifth largest settlement, with a population of 9,500. It is characterised by a mix of large and small villages, and is dominated in economic terms by service industries such as education, and by commuting to Guildford and Farnham, and to London to a lesser extent. The parish is scheduled to add over 400 additional houses in the current Local Plan, and many more under the latest housing allocations.

The Council strongly supports the option for three unitary councils in preference to the two proposed by Surrey County Council for reasons of financial stability, development policy, service delivery and democratic community engagement, specifically:

• Under the two unitary option, west Surrey would include not just the heavily indebted Woking, but also Spelthorne and Surrey Heath, both of which have substantial borrowing.  The unitary inheriting these districts will be under intense pressure to raise rates, cut services, and sell assets to the detriment of other areas who have a more prudent history. With three unitaries the burden of indebted districts is spread more widely compared to the two unitary option and is therefore more sustainable.

• Under the two unitary option, west Surrey would stretch from the Piccadilly Line at Heathrow to the High Weald in Sussex.  There are no common development or planning policies that could possibly unite the area, and there is a serious risk that the new authority would be constantly struggling to reconcile conflicting pressures to unify its policies. The three unitary option recognises that the Thames-side districts share characteristics, such as the economically dominant Heathrow, and housing, industrial development, and transport links which are an extension of the Greater London area – characteristics which are not shared with the rest of Surrey.
• In terms of service delivery, whether it is highways, health, social services, or education, the delivery already splits the western part of Surrey into three or more divisions, which align much more closely with the boundaries of the three unitary option.  There are no identifiable services up for devolution which require a two unitary option to keep them together.

• Democratic community engagement is fundamental to local government.  With two unitaries, the number of elected councillors (taking county and district councillors together) would be approximately halved – and yet that reduced number have the same county plus district functions, if not more, to supervise and control. The two unitary option tacitly recognises the issue with its plan for Neighbourhood Area Committees – but these would be unelected, undemocratic, unfinanced, powerless talking shops which would merely get in the way of the present representational work of democratically elected town and parish councils. We await the promised White Paper on the future role of town and parish councils, but whatever that may bring, the three unitary option at least provides the basis for maintaining the present level of democratic representation.

In sum, the two unitary option will miss most of the Government’s objectives and create more remote authorities which lack credibility with the communities they are supposed to be serving just for the sake of making small theoretical savings which will be dwarfed by the much larger budgets involved.  The three unitary option at least provides for more democratic authorities which can better identify with their local communities.

Grounds Maintenance Contract

Witley & Milford Parish Council is inviting tenders for the carrying out of the service of a new Grounds Maintenance contract, commencing on 1^st March 2025.  Please visit https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/a532d288-db78-4e1d-a394-0748a9d72d04 for further detail.

Chair and Vice Chair of the Council 2024-25

At the Annual Meeting of the Council held on Thursday 30th May 2024, Councillor Maxine Gale was re-elected Chair of the Council, and Councillor Tony Sollars was newly elected as Vice-Chair of the Council.

Temporary closure of Footpath 135, between Church Road and Petworth Road, Witley

Notice from Surrey County Council regarding temporary closure of Footpath 135, between Church Road and Petworth Road, Witley.

Witley Footpath Rights of Way Route 135, Witley

Temporary Closure Notice 2023

Surrey County Council in exercise of its powers under Section 14(2) of The Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 and of all other enabling powers hereby gives notice that no person shall enter or proceed on foot or by any other means in the entire length of Witley Footpath Rights of Way Route 135 that extends between D151 Church Road and A283 Petworth Road. This Notice is required by Thames Water to install a valve and hydrant onto the water main and/or carry out inspections and/or maintenance works in Witley Footpath Rights of Way Route 135 that extends from its junction with A283 Petworth Road for 20m.

The Notice will come into effect on 09 January 2024 for a period of 5 days. Works are anticipated to be completed between the hours of 8am and 5pm within 4 days of this period. Advanced warning signs will be displayed and the temporary closure which is anticipated to be required for 24 hours each day, will only operate when the relevant traffic signs are displayed. Access for pedestrians, including for emergency services will be maintained to the point of works via Witley Footpath Rights of Way Route 135, D151 Church Lane and A283 Petworth Road. The prohibition referred to above will not apply in respect of anything done with the permission or at the direction of a police constable in uniform or in accordance with any restriction or requirement indicated by traffic signs placed on the highway by or on behalf of the Police.

Kind regards

Sarah Bazley

Traffic Regulation Order Clerk

Highway Operations & Infrastructure

Surrey Highways & Transport

Tel: 0300 200 1003

Contact Us: www.surreycc.gov.uk/contacthighways