Your monthly update from your LibDem Borough Councillors - covering November 2022

Dear friends, welcome to our latest update on local (and some wider) news covering November 2022.

Council & Borough updates:

• At a Committee meeting this month, the timetable to develop the essential Local Plan (governing planning policy in the Borough) has been delayed AGAIN. Details of the timetable and process are set out online here. In summary the key dates are now: February to March 2023 - public consultation on the possible areas to be used for development; February/March 2024 - public consultation on the whole draft Plan; June 2024 - submission of the Plan to the Secretary of State; Spring 2025 - estimated date of adoption
• As far as we know, no final decisions on any part of the Plan have been made. However there have been some communications, eg from our local MP, that have not been totally accurate in their description of the process or of the status of different parcels of land. We encourage everyone to get involved with the consultation once it starts early next year.
• At the Strategy & Resources (S&R) Committee this month David objected to an item being discussed in private rather than to let the public hear the debate. The reason given for the privacy was around confidentiality, yet one of the RA councillors speaking against David's proposal to have the meeting in public then went on to describe the "crematorium" being proposed, removing the prime reason given for the privacy! You can read what it was all about on our Facebook site Epsom Lib Dems (the 21 November post).
• (As an aside, we suggest following that Facebook page to keep up to date with local and wider issues in between these monthly updates. We add stories most days to the page).
• Aldi gave a virtual briefing to councillors, but we are really none the wiser about their formal proposals and await a planning application for the old dairy site. Contact Julie if you'd like to join the Aldi-related email list.
• Also at S&R, the arrangements for the new Voter ID were discussed. It is very worrying that the government is not providing adequate assistance to local councils to manage the new requirement for photo IDs which will come into force for the May 2023 council elections. We strongly recommend applying for a Postal Ballot as soon as possible. You can apply for a postal vote here. Overall, we expect, as the Tories probably planned, that voting amongst the young and less well-off will fall.
• The local foodbank has just "celebrated" its tenth anniversary. Although it will continue to help those in need, it has also launched a more proactive plan to try to address the causes of poverty. You can see their video (with a small clip of David) here.

County news:

• We wait to see whether the Tory-run Surrey County Council will seek to use the proposed new powers to increase its council tax by more than the historic maximum. The LibDems on the County Council have pressed for national solutions to the crisis over social care rather than simply rely on local authorities to find additional funds.

National issues:

• The main development this month was the "Autumn Statement". Although it temporarily quietened the turmoil in the financial markets (mainly by postponing difficult decisions until after the next General Election) it did not address the huge problems facing our country. We have described the budget as a Cost of Chaos budget and you can read our analysis here.
• Some of the economic details that emerged with the Autumn Statement include:
  • the UK is alone amongst all G7 economies in that we have still not recovered to pre-pandemic output levels;
  • the OBR's forecast contraction in UK GDP for 2023 is the worst among the G7, according to the latest IMF forecasts;
  • UK inflation is set to average 7.4 per cent next year, higher than in any other G7 economy, according to the IMF; and so,
  • thank you Brexit for making us the sick man of Europe!
• Some illustrations of the failures of Brexit on a macro and micro level are illustrated by these figures on the trade with Japan, this confession by an ex Tory minister about the trade deal with Australia, and these stories about job losses because of the increased costs of trading with the EU (a cheese producer and a fish processor).

Our monthly podcast recommendation:

Not a podcast this month, but a recommendation to follow The Good Law Project which does excellent work holding the government to account. They send out regular emails and updates on their various projects. Details here.

Here's hoping December brings you all good cheer and happiness,

Julie and David

Wednesday 30 November 2022

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