The public meeting to discuss a Development Brief for Upper High Street (see "Lib Dems drive Consultation on Upper High Street" dated 13th December) will be held on Friday 19th January. Two identical meetings are to take place, the first between 3 and 5pm and the second at 7pm. The Unity Hall at the rear of the United Reformed Church hall in Church Street is the venue (the entrance is in Depot Road). All are welcome.
Cllr Colin Taylor posed a question to the December meeting of the full council, wanting to know which councillor of the ruling Residents' Party was empowered to sign letters on behalf of the council.
The Mobile Operators Association have provided the borough council with a list of sites where masts are proposed. As well as list of proposed sites, the schedule includes sites where planning permission has already been granted plus locations in the borough where masts are currently live.
Your local Lib Dem councillors have asked questions at a meeting of the council on 12th December. They want answers on the future of Livingstone Park, Clarendon Park, Manor Park and the Horton area.
Your Lib Dem councillors submitted a "motion" to council on 12th December which, if successful, would allow residents to ask questions at all council meetings. The full debate will take place at the Strategy & Resources Committee meeting on January 30th
Epsom's Lib Dem councillors have been successful in their "motion" to the Borough Council. There's more information on the council's website about recycling furniture via the British Heart Foundation.
The Liberal Democrats are concerned that Conservative proposals for so-called "efficiency savings" may, in practice, mean a reduction to the Council's frontline services, such as the youth service or libraries. The Lib Dems have repeatedly asked the Conservative administration to provide adequate details about their proposals but, so far, the information provided has been vague and inadequate.
At present Surrey County Council has no coherent policy towards waste at all. There are good ideas (e.g. about joint working with the districts - which should have commenced years ago), and the previous portfolio holder produced a "vision for waste". These are interesting thoughts but there is still no policy!
Hazel Watson has been chosen as the new leader of the Liberal Democrats on Surrey County Council. Previously Hazel was deputy leader. Janet Maines, the previous Group Leader becomes deputy leader. At the same time, Dr. John Hobrough has been appointed as Group Chairman.
The SCC Lib Dem group's deputy leader Hazel Watson recently highlighted the inadequacy of access provision for disabled people to Surrey County Council buildings (see "Lib Dems get disabled access high on agenda", March 23rd 2004). The Tory administration running the County Council seem to be unhappy with being criticised for not taking action on this issue. Despite their claim to be an "Exemplar of Modern Democracy", they have removed Mrs Watson from her position as Vice-Chair of the relevant SCC Select Committee.
Tory-controlled Surrey County Council is continuing to privatise the services it is legally required to provide. The Council's educational services have been privatised, see "Surrey Schools Services sold to Defence Contractor" dated 31st July 2003. With effect from 1st April 2004, they are now provided by VT Four S Limited. The Liberal Democrats are concerned that the Tories are obsessed with privatising more and more services, even though the Council seems increasingly to be encountering problems with those it has already privatised.
At the County Council meeting on March 23rd, Lib Dem councillor Colin Taylor commented that pictures of the new County Hall show a glass-clad building. Such buildings tend to feel too hot in summer and too cold in winter - or use lots of energy maintaining comfort.
