Cabinet papers* released yesterday by Surrey County Council reveal the outcomes of recent consultations carried out in relation to a number of essential services provided by the Council. The public consultations were based on a set of proposals for five service areas:
• Children's centres
• Community recycling centres
• Concessionary bus travel
• Libraries and culture
• Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
The consultation delivered over 28,000 responses from across the county, yet seem to have been somewhat overlooked in the recommendations to the Cabinet.

Last Tuesday night Theresa May lost the vote on her Brexit deal by 432 votes to 202. It's the biggest defeat by a Prime Minister in Commons history.

The next day, Jeremy Corbyn called a no-confidence vote in the Government. It failed.

Now, Theresa May wants MPs to vote on a deal that's barely different to the one we already rejected.

News today* has revealed that the cost of temporary officers at Surrey County Council is £2.5m. The news comes at a time when the Council are proposing a number of cuts to essential services, affecting Children's Centres, bus subsidies, Community Recycling Centres and Libraries.

Prior to the appointment of new Chief Executive, Joanna Killian, in March 2018, the Council had just one contract for an interim member of staff. The contract bill for temporary and interim staff now stands at £2.5m.

What times we live in. The SODEM team led by Steve have been outside my office with their cries of "Stop Brexit!" for the last two and a half years and earlier this week we came closer to doing that very thing. The vote was the biggest loss by a government ever and you, our members, contributed to that immensely. Each and every time we've asked you to get involved in the Brexit campaign over those last two and a half years you've stepped up to the plate and exceeded expectations. When the history of Brexit is written (if Tim Shipman isn't already writing it!) the Liberal Democrats will be at the heart of it as having led the way from start to finish for a people's vote and that's because of YOU.

There will be no progress until no deal is off the table. We won't vote for this needlessly destructive Brexit. We need a people's vote.