A recent expert report considered by Epsom & Ewell councillors claims that the prospects for successful local businesses in Epsom town centre are being harmed by "street clutter". This includes unnecessary posts, over-large road signs and especially broken and disused lamp posts etc.
Figures quoted at the June meeting of Surrey County Council by the Executive Member for Transport, in reply to a Lib Dem question, show that Epsom & Ewell now has by far the worst pavements in Surrey.
The ruling Residents' Party is determined only to match funds raised by the business community despite RA councillors having agreed in a private meeting early in 2008 that the borough council could spend up to £10,000.
Rosebery Housing Association is to be asked if they can provide space for a recycling station in Teddington Close.
A recent press release from the Borough Council on the subject of air quality, gives little evidence of how they will deal with the long-term problem of increased nitrogen dioxide levels in Ewell High Street.
BBC2's magazine for deaf people, See Hear, interviewed Cllr David Buxton (Court) for Episode 7 of Series 28 which was transmitted on Wednesday 18th June.
John Doran, Lib Dem spokesman on Transport, last week proposed a motion calling for more urgency in the development of the Transport Co-ordination Centre (TCC). In October 2004 the Executive of the Council had endorsed the proposal to set up a TCC, which was backed by all parties because it was claimed that there could be a 10% saving on a budget of £45 million.
The Conservatives running Surrey County Council have thrown out Liberal Democrat proposals to increase public involvement in its affairs by agreeing in principle to the webcasting of meetings. They also vetoed proposals to permit members of the public to address meetings of the full Council.
At the recent County Council meeting the majority Conservative group used a report on procedure to remove the right of Opposition groups to introduce motions for debate, without getting their permission first. Until now minority groups have had the right to introduce motions on any issues of concern and have them debated at the time. Now all decisions on whether to debate any motion have been put in the hands of the Tory majority.
A senior Conservative in Southall has defected to the Liberal Democrats, following the imposition of a candidate on the local party by Tory spin doctors. Mr Brij Mohan Gupta, Deputy Chair of Southall Conservatives has joined the Liberal Democrats and backed the Liberal Democrat by-election candidate Nigel Bakhai.
The Liberal Democrat group have called for Surrey County Council to introduce more effective workforce planning. In order to provide good quality, value for money services, the Council needs to plan and manage its workforce to ensure that it has the right number of people who are suitably qualified and trained and in the right places to provide the services that Surrey residents need. The first step towards achieving this objective is to develop an effective workforce plan. This plan should set out how the Council would recruit, support, develop and retain the employees it needs currently and in the future.
Surrey, Epsom & Ewell and Sutton Lib Dems all played key roles in the recent defence of Nonsuch Park, threatened by Surrey County Council (SCC) Tories' plans to "dispose" of Nonsuch Mansion, amidst local concerns that Tory plans would spoil this quiet haven of peace.
