A Unite/Mori student survey carried out in January 2004 on voting intentions gives the Lib Dems a leading share of 34%, with Labour on 28% and the Tories third on 19%. Students will have a major impact in 2005, as the elections are expected during the university year, on May 5, unlike in 2001 when the elections fell during the holiday period.
Commenting on the launch of an online map to tell homeowners about flooding risks in England and Wales, Norman Baker MP, Liberal Democrat Shadow Environment Secretary, said:
Liberal Democrat Leader Charles Kennedy today launched the Liberal Democrat Pre-manifesto - the first important stage in the manifesto process, which will take the Party into the General Election.
Under new Liberal Democrat proposals police chiefs would sign contracts with local communities setting out how many officers they would deploy. The "minimum policing guarantees" would set funding levels for local police for a rolling three-year period. The guarantees are part of the party's new plans to tackle crime. The plans include using money earmarked for the government's ID card plan to hire an extra 10,000 front line police and 20,000 community support officers.
Surrey County Council is to look at what support can be given to young carers following a motion by Lib Dem councillor Will Forster.
At the meeting of the Surrey County Council on 6 May the Conservative administration pushed through excessive increases in allowances for councillors, including 60% increases for both the Leader of the Council and the Deputy Leader. The Liberal Democrats voted against the proposed increases.
Liberal Democrats have condemned a massive increase in Special Responsibility Allowances paid to mainly Conservatives on Surrey County Council and pushed through by the Conservative administration this morning .
Surrey County Council's Liberal Democrats are calling on the County Council to make it easier for Surrey residents to complain about the services that the council provides.
Commenting on the announcement that £15.5 million of projected savings in Surrey County Council's Adult Social Care budget is being written off, Liberal Democrat Adult Social Care Spokesperson Fiona White said "This is Tory financial incompetence of the highest order.
Surrey Liberal Democrats have warmly welcomed proposals which will see the county receive nearly £25 million more in school funding than under the current system. This comes as part of an extra £350million boost to schools in the least fairly funded areas in the country.
