It has now been announced that the council will not after all be able to decide on Tesco's application to develop a new store in the Upper High Street at the December 10 meeting of the Planning Committee. Instead it will be decided at their meeting on 21 January 2010. It is understood that more time is needed because of the complexity of the application and to get replies from the other official bodies that the council needs to consult.
A formal planning application for redevelopment of the Epsom Station area has been received by the council and should be validated by Monday 30th November. Epsom & Ewell Lib Dems host a public meeting to discuss the proposals on the same day : meet at Phoenix Club (behind the Odeon Cinema) at 7.30 pm.
Following the public meeting held on 19th November, the questions asked by members of the public at that meeting were forwarded to Tesco by Cllr Julie Morris, as agreed with them beforehand. Their replies to these questions have been distributed to those who gave us an e-mail address and have now been posted on this website.
A clean up of the Ewell Bypass between the Nescot roundabout and Bradford Drive will begin on Monday 30th November.
About 100 people came along to a Public Meeting on 17th November which had been organised by Epsom's Lib Dems. Local residents were given an opportunity to exchange views on Tesco's proposals for Upper High Street.
Epsom & Ewell Liberal Democrats convened a public meeting to give Livingstone Park residents an opportunity to give ward councillors their views on the planning application for Horton Water Tower. The proposal is to develop the existing 13 storey water tower to provide four 2 bedroom residential units, by adding a similar size extension.
Next May there is a nationwide Referendum on changing the way we vote. Most people have little idea of how this voting system differs from the one we use at present which is called First-Past-The-Post.
Tributes have been paid to Sir Cyril Smith, former Lib Dem MP for Rochdale, who died on Friday. Party Leader Nick Clegg said "Cyril Smith was a larger-than-life character and one of the most recognisable and likeable politicians of his day. He was a true Liberal, dedicated to his constituency, always showing great passion and determination. Cyril was a colourful politician who kept the flame of Liberalism alive when the party was much smaller than it is today."
The Coalition Government has announced a Pupil Premium to target extra money at schools taking disadvantaged pupils. The proposed Pupil Premium would provide additional per pupil funding on top of the existing funding provided to schools. Schools will be free to spend the additional funding as they choose to raise the achievement of disadvantage pupils. This was a key manifesto commitment and one that Nick Clegg made clear was one of his absolute priorities.
In July 2009 the County Council's Interim Chief Executive Mr Michael Frater published a highly critical report about the County Council. At that time the Conservative administration said that Mr Frater would be invited to review the Council's progress one year following the publication of his report.
The Lib Dem group at County Hall has pressed the Conservative administration to be more open and transparent by publishing more information and by making decisions more openly.
The Conservative administration at County Hall has stated its ambition for the Council to be World Class but has not provided any definition of this term. However, it is clear that Surrey residents believe that the County Council has room for considerable improvement.
