We would like to strongly encourage you to respond to the ‘Local Government Boundary Commission for England’ (LGBCE) consultation, which is proposing to separate Long Ditton from Thames Ditton and align us with Hinchley Wood instead. (https://www.lgbce.org.uk/all-reviews/surrey/feedback).

Whether you are in favour or against, the volume of responses will count, so we are encouraging all residents to respond before the deadline of Monday 16^th October 2023. 

The LDRA and Thames Ditton & Weston Green Residents’ Association (TDWGRA) are completely against this proposed change and will be making representations accordingly. However, we need residents’ voices to be heard. All the LDRA Officers, LDRA EBC Councillors (Houston, Langham & Laino), SCC Councillor (Darby) and committee meeting attendees are completely against this proposal.

In our view, the clue is in the title, ‘The Dittons’. The proposed changes would separate Long Ditton from Thames Ditton, communities which, as can be gathered by the name, are very closely linked and have been since the Middle Ages. The Dittons have a lot in common and the two communities are closely linked by schools, friends and families, as much as by geographic proximity.

• Stokes Field Nature Reserve in Long Ditton is used by many in Thames Ditton
• Royal Mail identifies many addresses within Long Ditton as ‘Thames Ditton’ postal areas (e.g., Sugden Road)
• We share a Scout Group – The Dittons 
• ‘The Dittons Fair’ takes place on Giggs Hill Green, in Thames Ditton
• Many Long Ditton residents visit Thames Ditton shops and the Farmers Market
• Both communities use the pubs in each other’s locale (e.g., The Angel, The Limping Fox, The City Arms,  The Ferry, The George & Dragon)
• The TDWGRA made a significant financial donation supporting the Village Green campaign in Stokes    Field and One Tree Hill, Long Ditton
• Many Thames Ditton residents use the Long Ditton Green Belt land recreationally (as demonstrated via the Village Green survey)
• LDRA & TDWGRA officers often collaborate on various issues and are fully united against this proposed change
• Currently, one Surrey County Councillor serves The Dittons community as a whole
• Long Ditton and Thames Ditton are not separated by any natural or man-made boundaries, the residential dwellings merge seamlessly

We understand that The Boundary Commission’s role is to consider three main criteria:

• Electoral equality
• Community identity and interests
• Effective and convenient local government

We feel the proposals are at odds with all three of the Commission’s own criteria.

The LDRA strongly encourages you to vote against this nonsense change, which will lead to more costly expenditure, upheaval and wasted administration to fix a problem that does not exist in the Dittons. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey at the bottom of the web page https://www.lgbce.org.uk/all-reviews/surrey/feedback (Your ‘council area’ = Long Ditton).

Thank you for your time.

Your sincerely,

The Officers of the Long Ditton Residents Association.