It was disappointing to see an ill-informed opinion piece by a fellow Knaphill councillor “Why Woking must not find itself as just West Surrey’s poor relation”, in last week’s News & Mail.

The £500million debt support referenced sets a precedent for central government intervention in local authority debt relief which has only been agreed through the constructive work that has been undertaken by the current administration and officers to repair Woking’s finances.

Nor is it temporary, rather it represents the first tranche of support contingent on the council divesting assets in a manner that represents the best value for the public purse.

The author has attended the same finance briefing meetings that I have attended, which have detailed how the debt is being tackled and paid for, but has apparently chosen to perpetuate the myth that Woking council tax payers will bail out WBC.

There will undoubtedly be financial challenges as we move into the West Surrey Council. However, the experience and insights that have been gained whilst rebuilding systems and processes and ensuring that the critical checks and balances that were missing are in place will prove invaluable.

The new West Surrey Council will need councillors that have fully engaged with the work to repair Woking’s finances and who are financially literate.

Cllr Steve Greentree

Communities Portfolio Holder and Knaphill Councillor

Woking Lions were delighted to collaborate with St Hugh of Lincoln School to host a fun and engaging Easter challenge for pupils.

The initiative centred around an Easter-themed colouring sheet, inviting children to showcase their creativity, imagination and artistic flair.

The response was fantastic, with a large number of pupils taking part, and it was clear a great deal of effort and enthusiasm had gone into each submission, making the judging process challenging.

After careful consideration, four winners were selected based on creativity, use of colour and overall presentation. Each winner received an Amazon voucher along with a small Easter egg.

The collaboration proved to be a wonderful success, not only encouraging creativity among the children but also strengthening the connection between Woking Lions and the community.

We look forward to building on this partnership in future initiatives.

On behalf of Woking Lions

Woking Film Club has two presentations in April, both set in South America.

First, on 9 April The Penguin Lessons tells of a disillusioned Englishman who goes to work in a school in a divided Argentina in 1976 finds his life transformed when he rescues an orphaned penguin from the beach.

On 23 April the club is showing the Brazilian film I’m Still Here (Ainda Estou Aqui) in which a woman married to a former politician during the military dictatorship in Brazil is forced to reinvent herself and chart a new course for her family after a violent and arbitrary act.

Guest membership for a single show is £6. The full programme is on the club’s website at http://wncc.org.uk/.

Films are shown at Mayford Village Hall in Saunders Lane; the performance begins promptly at 8pm.

Chairman

Woking Film Club