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.
Last week Jane Kulka, Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesperson for Reigate, attended Surrey County Council's consultation meeting for the School Special Bus review. The county council are looking for savings in all areas that they fund. "SCC Officers presented their case for cutting some services, she said, "However there were some serious and obvious flaws and omissions in their presentation".
After months of worry over the uncertainty of the future of Surrey's bus services, there was some surprising good news recently for residents of Reigate, Woking and Spelthorne following the first phase of a county wide bus review triggered by a decision last year to slash millions from the transport budget.
Despite a call by Lib Dem county councillor Colin Taylor for a quick decision in principle, SCC Tories have voted to defer any decision on the Lib Dem proposal to return to the more democratic Committee System. Instead the proposal will be referred to a Select Committee.
Surrey County Council has made a major commitment to protect the Green Belt, following a Liberal Democrat motion debated by the full council on 15th June.
Surrey County Council is set to make decisions at its meeting on 15 June 2010 about new rules allowing Surrey residents to present petitions at meetings of the full Council and call for debates on them. These rule changes are needed for the Council to comply with new government legislation. The Liberal Democrats are calling for amendments to the new petition rules proposed by the Council to make it easier for Surrey residents to have their say and influence Council decisions.
Various organisations across Surrey will be taking part in the fun and friendly Surrey Cycle Challenge to see who can get the most staff to riding their bikes as much as possible from 14 June to the 27 June.
