When the Labour Government asked local councils to send in their views on future procedures for petitions and "calls for action", Epsom's Lib Dem councillors were happy to give an opinion.
Declared a huge success by Town Ward councillors Alison Kelly and Charles Wood, the open meeting held in April (see Related Link below for earlier article) has spurred both the borough and county councils into action.
Epsom & Ewell Liberal Democrats have modernised their website and local residents can now receive news stories via email on a weekly basis by clicking on "register here".
Epsom & Ewell Borough Council has abandoned attempts to find a sports use for part of Hook Road Arena, despite a development strategy which says it should increase provision of outdoor sports pitches and recreation.
Lib Dem Councillor Elaine Britten (Court) has criticised the borough council for the continuing delays in arriving at a plan for the use of Horton Chapel.
Porkie pies have again emerged in the latest newsletter from College Ward Residents Association who appear unable to accept with good grace that they lost the 2007 borough council elections.
As a result of last Thursday's local elections on Woking, the Liberal Democrats have gained an additional 3 seats and taken over as the largest party on the Council, with 18 seats out of 36 total, ahead of the Conservatives on 15 and Labour on 3. They took 8 out of the 13 seats being contested this year - and narrowly missed a further gain by just two votes!
The introduction of more 20 mph zones in appropriate locations throughout Surrey moved a step closer today with the passing of a Liberal Democrat motion proposed by Cllr David Goodwin (Guildford South West) and seconded by Cllr John Doran (Horsell). This highlighted research showing that the chances of being killed as a pedestrian when hit by a vehicle double between 30 mph and 35 mph.
Months of debate came to a head today when Surrey County Council voted on the Business Delivery Review (BDR) - with the Liberal Democrat group rejecting the proposals sanctioned by the Tory-run Executive to cut staff numbers. Staff members and representatives of their trade unions listened in the public gallery and the adjoining Ashcombe Suite as Liberal Democrats fought against the proposals, which included a reduction of 561 FTE (Full Time Equivalent) jobs. A recorded vote saw 56 in favour of BDR, with 14 against and two abstentions.
The Liberal Democrat Group on Surrey County Council has called for greater clarity from the Conservative-run Executive after the Council announced its proposed plans to close 18 youth centres county-wide were being "revised". The Lib Dems had been opposed to the closures ever since they were first proposed in the Business Delivery Review, designed to cut £50 million from the Council's budget. Together with voluntary and community groups, the Lib Dems have been urging the Council to rethink the proposals.
The Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Surrey County Council, Cllr Hazel Watson, has welcomed the abandonment of plans to close four libraries in Surrey. She said: "I am pleased that proposals to close the libraries in Hersham, Caterham Hill, Ewell Court and New Haw are to be abandoned. However, it is regrettable that the libraries in Bagshot and Virginia Water are still under threat."
Head Teachers and educationalists were appalled by Surrey County Council's intention to remove 14 posts and make all four Surrey Local Education Officer teams redundant as part of the Business Delivery Review.
