Month: July 2026

Help Shape New Play Areas in Mole Valley

Mole Valley District Council (MVDC) is inviting residents to help shape plans for a £3.5 million investment in local playgrounds, designed to deliver modern, inclusive and exciting play spaces for children and families across the district.

The programme, which will be delivered by Proludic, will see improvements made to a number of playground sites, including Ashtead Recreation Ground, Forty Foot Recreation Ground and Kingston Road Recreation Ground in Leatherhead, Lower Road Recreation Ground in Bookham, and Meadowbank in Dorking.

The investment programme will ensure future designs reflect how play areas are used today and what local communities would like to see in the future.

Residents, families, carers and visitors are invited to get involved by completing a short survey by 30 September 2026 and sharing their views on preferred play equipment, themes and additional facilities. A series of in-person engagement events will also take place this summer, giving playground users the opportunity to view proposals and share ideas on how the sites could be improved.

Meadowbank will be the first location where residents can meet the project team, including Arkwood, which is managing the engagement on behalf of MVDC. There will be a full programme of events at Meadowbank on Sunday 19 July during the Family Fun Day 11am-4pm, and the project team will be there in the park, as well as on Tuesday 21 July 3pm-6pm. Engagement events for Ashtead, Bookham and Leatherhead will be confirmed in due course.

cllr Nick Wright Mole ValleyCouncillor Nick Wright, Cabinet Member for Leisure and Community Assets, said:

“I encourage everyone who uses our play areas to share their feedback and let us know what they would like to see in the new facilities. Whether through our quick online survey or by attending one of our engagement events, your views will help shape the future of play in Mole Valley.

“Play areas are an important part of our communities, providing spaces where children can be active, social and creative. We want to ensure that any new equipment reflects what local families and young people want and need.”

Online surveys can be completed until the end of September too. Printed copies will be available from Pippbrook Reception and from libraries in Ashtead, Bookham, Dorking and Leatherhead.

Residents can also request a survey by contacting our Customer Services team on 01306 885001, Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm.

 

Helen Maguire MP June Newsletter

June has been a very busy month – I’ve spoken in Parliament more than 20 times and been out and about across Epsom, Ewell, Ashtead and Leatherhead almost every weekend. It’s also been a somewhat chaotic month for national politics in Westminster, with the Burnham by-election and subsequent resignation from the Prime Minister dominating the headlines. Whatever happens next in our national leadership, I want you to know that my priorities, and the Liberal Democrats’, haven’t changed. We’re staying focused on the issues that matter to you: our NHS, this cost of living crisis, and standing up for this communities. Thank you, as always, for staying engaged. Please do continue to get in touch via email, phone, letter or social media (details below).
MY KEY PRIORITIES
Local Healthcare
After relentlessly pressing the case in Parliament and beyond for investment in St Helier’s A&E, the Government has announced £57 million to extend and upgrade the emergency department. It’s a significant win for St Helier and for the local people who rely on it – and a reminder of what sustained local campaigning can achieve. Unfortunately, it has since emerged that women’s health services at St Helier may need to relocate due to safety concerns for the building. Alongside fellow Lib Dem MPs Bobby Dean, Luke Taylor and Paul Kohler, I’ve written to the Government demanding clarity: what alternatives have been explored, how have staff been consulted, and how would services actually be relocated? I’ll keep pushing until we get proper answers, and it certainly doesn’t take away from the hard-fought win for the A&E funding. On a more positive note, I also had a really useful introductory meeting with Mat Shaw, the new Group Chief Executive of St George’s, Epsom and St Helier, at Epsom Hospital. I look forward to working with him in the future to ensure healthcare provision in our constituency goes from strength to strength.
Honoring Our Armed Forces
In June we marked Armed Forces Week, during which I was delighted to hear that my amendment to the Railways Bill has been backed by the Rail Minister, meaning free rail travel to Remembrance events will now be extended to include a bereaved family member – so no one has to miss paying their respects because of cost. It’s a small change, but one I’m proud to have secured. I also visited Combat Stress to talk about PTSD awareness, and was honoured to give a reading at a flag-raising ceremony in Parliament to mark the week.
Standing Against Division
Following the disorder we saw in Epsom earlier this year, I remain determined that our community responds with unity, not division. It was great to see local leaders within the community take this stand too, with the event ‘Stand Up to Racism Epsom’ taking place in June. It was wonderful to come together as a community and I’m very grateful to the organisers for putting on such a meaningful event. I was also proud to take part in the Legacy of Jo Cox debate, marking ten years since her murder. Jo’s message still matters: we have far more in common than that which divides us. You can watch my speech here.
IN PARLIAMENT
Backing the Youth Jobs Grant
From 30th June, employers across the country can claim up to £3,000 for hiring a young person who’s been on Universal Credit for six months. I’m keen to make sure local employers in Epsom and Ewell know about this and take it up. Employers will be able to apply for grants through a simple application process found here, with further details on eligibility and requirements available on business.gov.uk/recruit.
A Busy Month in the Chamber
I raised both national and local important issues in Parliament this month: E-scooters – I pressed the Home Office for clearer national guidance so police aren’t left improvising enforcement powers against a genuinely dangerous rise in e-scooter use. You can watch my question here. The Defence Investment Plan – I pushed the Minister on how Liberal Democrat proposed funding policies like defence bonds and a rearmament bank can support the sector without piling more costs onto taxpayers already facing a cost of living crisis. You can watch my question here. Thames Water – I welcomed the Government’s decision not to approve a bailout deal, and once again called again for special administration so my constituents stop paying the price for the company’s £20 billion of debt. You can watch my question here. Illegal vape and barber shops – I praised local police for four successful busts on the high street, and called for more powers and resource for community policing. You can watch my question here.
IN THE CONSTITUENCY
Epsom Derby Day
A brilliant day out at the Epsom Derby – always a highlight of the local calendar! Congratulations to the race winners and Derby organisers for another fantastic event.
Dorking & Leatherhead Gymnastics Club
I dropped in to celebrate the Dorking and Leatherhead Gymnastics club’s 50th anniversary and presented an Early Day Motion I tabled, recognising founder Margaret Miler and everyone – coaches, volunteers and staff – who has made the club such a welcoming space for the community over five decades.
Inspired by Sir David Attenborough
It was so lovely to see the young students at Stamford Green Primary School and Nursery hold a community celebration of Sir David Attenborough’s contribution to conservation, where they raised funds for Save the Rhino after being moved by his documentary series Africa. It was an amazing evening and I felt so inspired by their creativity and determination to make the world a better place, one rhino at a time!
Bourne Hall Summer Festival
I was delighted to pop down to the Bourne Hall Summer Festival in Ewell, which had a fantastic turnout from the local community! The festival featured live music, stalls, and activities for all ages. Summer fete season is certainly in full swing!
PRIMARY CARE + CANCER SPOKESPERSON FOR THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS
Secondary breast cancer is now the leading cause of death for women aged 40-49 in the UK, yet 13 years after data collection became mandatory, we still don’t know how many people are living with it. I called on the Government to properly count and fund care for the estimated 61,000 people affected. You can watch my speech here. I also spoke in the debate on NHS breast screening, where I pushed for better uptake among under-screened groups, alternative screening options for women with dense breast tissue, and urgent investment in ageing radiotherapy equipment – as a quarter of England’s machines are already operating beyond their recommended lifespan. You can watch my speech here. And in the debate on community hospitals, I highlighted the vital role Leatherhead Community Hospital plays locally, offering more than 33 services from stoma care to speech and language therapy, and called for proper investment so community hospitals can take the strain off larger acute sites. You can watch my speech here.
CASEWORK UPDATE
This month we closed 943 cases, with many of you getting in touch about social media for under 16s, housing applications, and various local issues such as the Epsom and Ewell local plan. Thank you to everyone who has written to me this month. Please rest assured that my team and I are working hard to respond to everyone as soon as possible. If you have an issue you would like to raise, or to request an appointment at my next surgery, please email me at: [email protected].
IN THE MEDIA
I spoke to Sky News about the Government’s Defence Investment Plan, and joined BBC Politics South East to discuss Brexit and the future of our relationship with the EU. I also took part in a European Movement UK panel on securing Europe in an age of geopolitical turbulence.
LOCAL NEWS
A3 Tolworth Roundabout Roadworks
Following a serious collision that damaged the highway parapet at Tolworth roundabout, I’ve written to Transport for London on behalf of constituents affected by the resulting slip road closures. TfL have confirmed repairs are expected to complete by 24th July, and that safety checks are being carried out around the clock in the meantime.
Epsom Soroptimists Open Evening
Epsom Soroptimists are hosting an Open Evening on Tuesday 14th July at 7.30pm at the Epsom Club, Church Street. The evening features a talk from former Metropolitan Police officer and author Kathryn West, followed by the chance to find out more about the Soroptimists’ work. For more information get in touch with [email protected].
ZeveFest
I was delighted to attend ZeveFest, Danetree Primary School’s Family Fun Day, raising money and awareness for their student, ten-year-old Zeve, who is undergoing treatment for a rare and aggressive form of bone cancer. It had a wonderful community turnout for a very special cause.
GET IN TOUCH
As your MP, I am here to listen to the issues that matter most to you. There are several ways to contact me or keep in touch with what I am doing week to week. You can contact me via email at: [email protected] You can write to me in Westminster at: Helen Maguire MP, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA
To Sign Up For Helen’s Monthly Newsleter  Click Here

Plans For An Accessible Footbridge At Hogsmill River

At a meeting of Epsom & Ewell Borough Council’s (EEBC) Environment Committee on 30 June 2026, councillors discussed the future of the Hogsmill River Stepping Stones and agreed to progress plans to deliver a new, safer crossing in the form of a footbridge, subject to securing funding for design, planning and construction. Councillors also agreed that the council, who do not own the river banks and bed, will not take on additional liability for the stepping stones in the future.

The proposed bridge will provide a safer and fully accessible alternative crossing to the popular stepping stones, which are currently closed following safety concerns raised by the local community, and a reported incident in which someone was injured.

The Hogsmill River in Ewell is noted for its nesting habitat for kingfishers and a range of other bird, mammal and insect species. In 2024, EEBC developed a new wetland habitat at Chamber Mead in the Hogsmill Local Nature Reserve in partnership with the South East Rivers Trust. Last year, water voles were reintroduced there – the first in over two decades.

At the meeting, Councillors discussed a range of safety concerns and potential long-term solutions for the crossing.

Cllr Liz FrostFollowing the meeting, Councillor Liz Frost, Chair of the Environment Committee, commented: “The stepping stones have historically been a popular crossing spot at the Hogsmill River, and we appreciate that some people will feel disappointed that they are no longer available to use; however, the safety of residents and visitors has to be our priority.

“Increased water levels, resulting in significantly longer periods where stones are submerged, alongside erosion around the steps due to heavy dog usage, mean that the crossing is now unsafe.

“We have carefully explored a range of options, including working with partners, and believe that a new accessible footbridge offers the best long-term solution. It will provide a safer and more stable/reliable crossing, enabling people of all ages and levels of mobility to continue enjoying this beautiful setting for many years to come.”

The council has submitted a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) application to support the construction of the new pedestrian footbridge – the decision will be made at the Council’s Strategy and Resources Committee being held on 14 July 2026.