Mole Valley

Mole Valley is a local government district in Surrey, England. Its council is based in Dorking.

For the Westminster Parliament constituency, see Mole Valley (UK Parliament constituency) and Epsom and Ewell (UK Parliament constituency).

Mole Valley District
Non-metropolitan district
Leatherhead High Street
Motto(s): 
Ministrando vigilans
(Latin: Vigilant in our serving)
Mole Valley shown within Surrey
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Constituent countryEngland
RegionSouth East England
Non-metropolitan countySurrey
StatusNon-metropolitan district
Admin HQDorking
Incorporated1 April 1974
Government
 • TypeNon-metropolitan district council
 • BodyMole Valley District Council
 • LeadershipAlternative – Sec.31 (Liberal Democrats)
Area
 • Total99.7 sq mi (258.3 km2)
Area rank147th (of 317) Highest point : Leith Hill
Population
 (mid-2019 est.)
 • Total87,245
 • Rank278th (of 317)
 • Density870/sq mi (340/km2)
 • Ethnicity
97.4% White
Time zoneUTC0 (GMT)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+1 (BST)
ONS code43UE (ONS)
E07000210 (GSS)
OS grid referenceTQ0496458567
Websitewww.molevalley.gov.uk
South Holmwood

The other town in the district is Leatherhead. The largest villages are Ashtead, Fetcham and Great Bookham, in the northern third of the district. Most of the district is on the escarpments of or adjoins the Surrey Hills AONB (the North Downs and Greensand Ridge including locally Leith Hill, Polesden Lacey, Box Hill and Denbies Wine Estate, the largest vineyard in the country and several golf courses)[1] The North Downs are followed or parallelled by the Pilgrims' Way. There are stations on the London–Worthing and Reading–Gatwick Airport railways, and in the northern third, a commuter stopping-service pattern line, London–Guildford (via Epsom) line.

The A24 road and the M25 motorway are the main thoroughfares and relative to London the incidence of car ownership is high. The area hosts hill-focussed sub-laps of the London-Surrey Classic cycling tour each year.

Towns

Other settlements[2]
VillageOther SettlementsCivil Parish (where applicable)
AbingerAbinger Common, Abinger Hammer
Forest Green, Walliswood
Sutton Abinger and Oakwood Hill[3]		 Abinger
Ashtead
CapelBeare Green
Coldharbour		 Capel
Betchworth Betchworth
BrockhamStrood Green Brockham
Buckland Buckland
CharlwoodHookwood, Norwood Hill Charlwood
Fetcham
Great Bookham
HeadleyBox Hill Headley
Holmwood – includes Chart Downs, Goodwyns, North, South and Mid Holmwood
LeighShellwood Cross
Dawesgreen		 Leigh
Little Bookham
Mickleham Mickleham
Newdigate Parkgate Newdigate
Ockley Ockley
Ranmore
Westcott
Westhumble
WottonFriday Street Wotton

Governance

Mole Valley District Council is elected by thirds: one-third of councillors are elected at each election, each serving four year terms; three years out of four having elections.

The council was however elected across all areas in 2000 after major boundary changes to the wards.

Although Mole Valley (UK Parliament constituency) has been Conservative for a long time, Mole Valley District Council has, with Independent/RA and Liberal Democrats, for long periods been under no overall control.[4]

First Elected Conservative Labour Lib Dem Independent Other
1999 17 1 16 7 0
2000 19 1 14 7 0
2002 18 1 15 3 4
2003 19 1 15 6 0
2004 19 0 17 5 0
2006 23 0 15 3 0
2007 22 0 16 3 0
2008 18 0 17 6 (5 Ashtead Independents + 1 Leatherhead Independent) 0
2010 17 0 18 6 (5 Ashtead Independents + 1 Leatherhead Independent) 0[5]
2012 15 0 19 7 (6 Ashtead Independents + 1 Leatherhead Independent) 0
2015 23 0 10 6 2
2016 23 0 12 6 0
2017 21 0 13 7 (6 Ashtead Independents + 1 Beare Green Independent) 0
2018 20 0 14 7 (6 Ashtead Independents + 1 Beare Green Independent) 0
2019 12 0 22 7 (6 Ashtead Independents + 1 Beare Green Independent) 0

Between May 2015 and May 2018, Mole Valley Liberal Democrats gained two council seats in by-elections (Holmwoods June 2015 gain from UKIP, Leatherhead North June 2016 gain from Conservatives), and one Conservative councillor defected to Beare Green Independent (May 2017). The Liberal Democrats then made a net gain of one in May 2018, pushing the Council back into no overall control. However, Conservatives continued to control the administration with the support of the Independents, with three Ashtead Independents becoming members of the Cabinet.

The overall composition established in May 2018 is 20 Conservatives, 14 Liberal Democrats, and 7 Independents (6 Ashtead Independents and 1 Beare Green Independent). There are no Labour, UKIP or Green Party councillors.

Party control
  • 1974–1980: No overall control
  • 1980–1982: Independent control
  • 1982–1994: No overall control
  • 1994–1995: Liberal Democrat control
  • 1995–2006: No overall control
  • 2006–2008: Conservative control
  • 2010–2015: No overall control
  • 2015–2018: Conservative control
  • 2018–2019: No overall control
  • 2018–2019: Liberal Democrat control

Surrey County Council

Surrey County Council, elected every four years, obtains six representatives from this area:

History

The district, named after the River Mole, was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, by a merger of the urban districts of Dorking and Leatherhead and most of the Dorking and Horley Rural District.

Demographics

A Legatum Prosperity Index published by the Legatum Institute in October 2016 showed Mole Valley as the second most prosperous council area in the United Kingdom, after the nearby Borough of Waverley.[6]

Churches graded II* or above
St Nicolas, Great Bookham
St John, Wotton
St Michael, Mickleham
St Michael's Betchworth, 13th century, used in Four Weddings and a Funeral
First ElectedMember[7]

Ward

2009 Chris TownsendAshtead
2005 Clare CurranBookham and Fetcham West
2005 Stephen CookseyDorking and the Holmwoods – includes the south of the town and Holmwoods
2001 Helyn Clack[8]Dorking Rural – comprises villages and farms south and east of Dorking
2005 Tim HallLeatherhead and Fetcham East
1993 Hazel WatsonDorking Hills – comprises the northern part of Dorking town and the farms and villages north & west of Dorking
ChurchPlaceListed building
Class
St MichaelBetchworthI [9]
St NicolasGreat BookhamI[10]
All SaintsLittle BookhamII*
St NicholasCharlwoodI[11]
St MichaelMicklehamI [12]
St John the EvangelistWottonI [13]
St Mary & St NicholasLeatherheadII*[14]
St BarnabasRanmore CommonII* [15]
St MaryPixhamII* [16]
St MartinDorkingII* [17]
St MaryFetchamII* [18]
St GilesAshteadII* [19]
St JamesAbinger CommonII* [20]
Holy TrinityWestcottII* [21]
St BartholomewLeighII* [22]
St MargaretOckleyII* [23]
St John the BaptistWalliswoodII* [24]

Environmental concerns

In May 2006, a report commissioned by British Gas [25] showed that housing in Mole Valley produced the twentieth highest average carbon emissions in the country at 6,928 kg of carbon dioxide per dwelling.

See also: Energy efficiency in British housing

In 2008 a group of residents got together and formed The Green Mole Forum with the aim of promoting sustainable development in Mole Valley both by providing a hub to help residents, and to lobby the council to undertake more sustainable policies.

Emergency services

Mole Valley is served by these emergency services:

  • Surrey Police. Dorking Police Station is the lead station in Mole Valley Division, Leatherhead Police Station is now closed.
  • South East Coast Ambulance Service The district has two Ambulance Stations – one in North Holmwood (1 mile (2 km) south of Dorking), and the other in Leatherhead.
  • Surrey Fire & Rescue Service, The district has two Fire Stations one in North Holmwood and the other in Leatherhead.
  • SURSAR, The district is covered by Surrey Search & Rescue
  • Hospital, Each town has a small NHS Hospital with no A&E. They are used for outpatients and rehabilitation.

Sources

Freedom of the District

The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the District of Mole Valley.

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Individuals

Military Units
gollark: Oh, never mind, that was a while ago and they are not.
gollark: Huh. Apparently New Zealand just declared itself free of COVID-19.
gollark: ++delete ø
gollark: æÆæÆ
gollark: OH NOGITHUBIS BEES

See also

References
  1. "Government information about visitor attractions at Denbie's". Surrey County Council. Archived from the original on 1 September 2012. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  2. "Surrey County Council website". Archived from the original on 3 September 2012. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  3. "Home Page". Abinger Parish Council. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  4. Mole Valley District Council, 2012 Election Results
  5. BBC news
  6. Emily Chan, Jessica Duncan, It's wonderful in Waverley but hell in Hull! League table of most prosperous places to live show it's grim up north – but how does your town rate? in Daily Mail online dated 22 October 2016, accessed 22 October 2016
  7. Surrey County Councillors. Retrieved 2012-04-28
  8. "Cllr Helyn Clack". Surrey County Council. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  9. Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1378131)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  10. Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1028641)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  11. Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1248610)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  12. Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1028835)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  13. Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1294098)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  14. Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1190429)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  15. Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1189879)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  16. Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1279086)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  17. Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1028904)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  18. Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1378187)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  19. Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1028685)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  20. Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1378082)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  21. Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1227892)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  22. Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1028748)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  23. Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1028694)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  24. Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1028844)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  25. Centrica plc Archived 26 June 2008 at the Wayback Machine. Britishgasnews.co.uk (2013-02-27). Retrieved on 2013-07-17.
  26. https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/local-news/headley-court-granted-districts-highest-4820105

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