The Conservative plot to cancel Surrey's elections
The Surrey Conservatives are trying to seize the opportunity to use English Devolution as an excuse to cancel this year’s May elections.
The Surrey Conservatives are trying to seize the opportunity to use English Devolution as an excuse to cancel this year’s May elections.
Following the formation of the new Alliance leadership in May 2024 we are pleased to announce that the Non Statutory – Best Value Notice, issued by the Government in December 2023, has now been lifted.
Runnymede Borough Council is pleased to announce the start of a £2.5 million energy efficiency initiative targeting over 160 council-owned homes.
Hello! I'm Ronan McCaughey, and like many of you, I fell in love with our wonderful Ottershaw community when I moved here 10 years ago.
This week’s vote on the Bill to remove the remaining 92 hereditary peers from the House of Lords is a step in the right direction. But we need to go further.
Virginia Water Councillor Karin Rowsell is expressing support for the Rose and Olive Branch to continue as a pub after its current tenants finish trading this Christmas.
The Liberal Democrats have launched a petition to save the Surrey Performing Arts Library which is under threat of closure by Surrey County Council. Surrey residents have reacted with dismay on hearing of the threatened closure and that the County Council's consultation exercise will give residents just two weeks to respond. The Library, which is currently based near Dorking at Denbies Wine Estate, houses a truly unique collection of music, theatre, orchestral and dance materials available for public loan. It also holds a specialist Vaughan Williams collection and permanent display covering the life and works of Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958), commemorating his strong links with the area where he lived and where he composed some of his most important pieces.
Liberal Democrat county councillors have expressed their concern after an independent body, Healthwatch Surrey, criticised the county council for a lack of engagement and consultation after changes to the provision of sexual health services. Healthwatch Surrey has written to the county council outlining their criticisms in relation to HIV services. The letter states that:
Ofsted has today published a letter summarising the findings of the recent monitoring visit to Surrey Children's services. This is the 8th monitoring visit since the County Council was inspected in 2014 and found to be inadequate in the Ofsted report published in 2015. In the latest monitoring visit, Ofsted inspectors noted recent improvements. However some changes have taken too long to achieve and children continue to receive an inconsistent response to their needs and for some, potential risks are not explored quickly enough. Cllr Chris Botten, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson on Children & Schools, said:
Liberal Democrat county councillors in Surrey have criticised the ruling Conservative administration for recruiting a £55,000 "Head of Strategy" post when at the same time planning staff redundancies and cutting services by millions of pounds. The advert, which has been posted extensively online and in the national press, seeks to recruit a "highly politically astute" individual who will be a "skilful networker" and "support the leadership" of the County Council. The salary offered is between £55484 to £66644 for a working week of 36 hours, with a laptop and mobile supplied.
Over two thousand residents have signed a Liberal Democrat petition against Surrey County Council's proposals to close four popular and well-used Community Recycling Centres (CRCs) in Bagshot, Cranleigh, Dorking and Warlingham. The County Council is also planning to reduce the opening hours of all the remaining CRCs, as well as scrapping the daily free waste allowance in order to save £2m from its budget. Cllr Stephen Cooksey, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for the Environment, said:
Liberal Democrat county councillors have expressed their concern after it was revealed that 6 care homes in Surrey are rated as "Unsafe" by the Care Quality Commission and have contracts with Surrey County Council. The information was revealed following a question tabled by Cllr Hazel Watson, Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Surrey County Council, to the Conservative Cabinet this week.
Liberal Democrats have passed new policy to stand up for bereaved families and kinship carers, so more young people can grow up in a loving, stable home.
We are committed to tackling the challenges facing our music industry head-on. By doing so, we can maintain the UK’s reputation as a global leader in music, while giving future generations the chance to share in its success.
The Liberal Democrats are committed to rebuilding the trust and compassion that the UK was once known for. We believe that our country has a responsibility to support those in need, no matter where they are in the world.