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esher residents association |
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esher residents association |
Where you are: Home >> About Us
The Esher Residents Association is a non-party political organisation whose main concerns and activities are confined to Esher and matters affecting Esher - a community of over 2,000 households. We put up non-party-aligned ERA candidates for election to Elmbridge Borough Council.
Read more: Why Residents Association Councillors? We firmly believe that party politics, of any colour, do not belong in local government at borough level. We have this in common with similar associations in Hersham, Hinchley Wood, Molesey, St George's Hill, Thames Ditton & Weston Green and Walton-on-Thames, all of whom are represented by independent Elmbridge Councillors.
Our objectives are to:
Foster a community spirit in Esher, especially important in a place with a high turnover ofresidents;
Conserve and improve the way of life in Esher;
Provide a forceful public vote on matters affecting residents;
Take action with and on behalf of individuals who need help on local authority matters; Return representatives to Elmbridge Borough Council.
Membership
ERA members have one important thing in common: they live in Esher and care about it, and what happens to it.
They want to influence all decisions affecting their neighbourhood and their own quality of life.
The ERA gives them a united voice with which to do that. Esher is a cosmopolitan community and our association has always welcomed support from those temporarily resident here.
Membership is open to anyone living in Esher. There is a minimum contribution of £3 per annum to help cover the cost of our quarterly newsletter "ERA News" election expenses and any other running costs.
History of the ERA. The ERA was formed in 1976, solely to give Esher people a bigger and more direct say in their own local affairs, when the old Esher Urban District Council was combined with the Walton & Weybridge Council to form Elmbridge Borough Council.
We sought representation on the new council in the first elections after the union and were successful in getting Christine Andrews elected. She was joined a year later for the ERA by Dick Cullington and was herself re-elected for a second term in 1979. More recent ERA councillors have included Christine Peel, John Barnes and Peter Heaney who was elected to serve again in May 2002.
From the outset we have produced, and distributed to every home in Esher, a quarterly newsletter to discuss, and keep people informed of, issues likely to affect the quality of their lives - from planning applications for unsuitable developments to schemes for the improvement of dangerous road crossings or county plans to increase heavy commercial vehicles on our local roads.
In 1978-79 the association provided impetus, advice, fund-raising skills and a lot of hard work to help provide premises for the Lower Green Sports & Social Club in Farm Road.
In Silver Jubilee year (1977) we instituted the Esher Silver Salver Award which goes each year to an Esher resident for "services to the community".
Administration and Distribution
The ERA is administered by an executive committee that meets once a month throughout the year to examine issues affecting Esher and to decide a course of action.
Our ability to be effective is greatly strengthened by having one or more elected councillors at Elmbridge. Direct contact with Esher residents is arranged through the ERA 'area co-ordinators' and 'road representatives'.
These volunteers give their time to deliver notices, newsletters and election material, and to provide a line of continuous communication between residents and the executive committee.
We are always keen to hear from new volunteers for contact and delivery rounds. The more helpers we have, the lighter the load for all. As we know, Esher is a great place to live. Indeed it is one of the finest examples of England's green and pleasant land to the immediate south of London. Help us to keep it that way.
Finance
The ERA is financed through voluntary annual contributions (minimum £3), either collected by our Road Reps or, in many cases, sent to our Treasurer unsolicited.
We also raise funds through quiz nights, our annual Silver Salver Dinner and other events.
We are always delighted to hear your comments, or to welcome you as a member to the Esher Residents Association.
Running costs of the Association include our quarterly newsletter, ERA News, local election and AGM expenses and stationery. We make charitable donations from time to time. These have included money to: Princess Alice Hospice, Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign, British Legion Wreath, Council for the Protection of Rural England, Friends of Thames Ditton & Esher Hospital, and Esher Chamber of Commerce (Christmas lights).
Out-of-pocket expenses are only charged by committee members in exceptional cases.
| Chair | Peter Heaney | 01372 467360 |
| Vice chair & Planning | Joan Leifer | 01372 462078 |
| Hon Treasurer | Rita Michau | 01372 465617 |
| Hon Secretary | Susan Johnson-Newell | 01372 467630 |