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 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.
Following on from the various Focus Groups and the On-line Survey, Surrey County Council will be presenting their initial conclusions and options at four open Area Meetings for Parents, Head Teachers and local Councillors.
Campaigners against plans to build on the Green Belt have welcomed confirmation that the inflated housing figures imposed on Surrey by the previous Labour Government should no longer be used to give the go ahead for new developments.
The Liberal Democrats on Surrey County Council have called for an independent investigation into problems within the Children's Service in Surrey. This follows a Channel 4 television programme "Dispatches: undercover social worker" broadcast on the 7 June, which filmed an undercover family support worker working for the Children's Service in Surrey.