Update from your LibDem Borough Councillors - Saturday 6 March 2021
Dear friends, welcome to our latest Update covering material since our last one on 19 February.
Thank you to all who voted for her, and for the army of volunteers who put so much effort in.
The work starts now.
You can watch her gracious acceptance speech via this link.
Dear friends, welcome to our latest Update covering material since our last one on 19 February.
Dear friends, welcome to our latest Update. This differs from our last one of 5 February as it concentrates on the Borough Council's budget passed at full Council on Tuesday 16 February, and how this impacts your overall Council Tax for 2021/22.
An electoral review takes place every so often to make sure that electoral equality is achieved and Councillors represent roughly the same number of electors. The last review of Epsom & Ewell was over 20 years ago. The Borough Council makes recommendations based on criteria set by the Boundary Commission, and then embarks upon a public consultation after which there can be changes before final approval by the Commission. Numbers of electors in each ward or area have to include current occupancy plus estimates some five years forward. So the final numbers include things like known development, land availability and housing targets. The number of wards can change, as can the number of councillors which represent them. Ward boundaries themselves might need to be adjusted and the names of them can change. The process has just begun in Epsom & Ewell but it will be a couple of years before any changes actually happen.
Residents in the village of Whyteleafe in Caterham Valley are set to benefit from a scheme that has recently been approved by Surrey County Council, to implement pedestrian crossing facilities in the vicinity of Hillside Road.
Lance Spencer, Lib Dem councillor for Goldsworth East and Horsell Village submitted a question to this week's meeting of Surrey County Council to reveal the extent of the backlog in issuing Education Health and Care Plans (EHCP) for children with special educational needs. EHCPs are a legal document drawn up by the Council following an assessment which describes a child or a young person's (aged up to 25) special educational needs, the support they need, and the outcomes they would like to achieve.
Lib Dem County Councillor Angela Goodwin is delighted that a road safety scheme on The Chase in Onslow, that she has long been lobbying for on behalf of residents, has now received the go-ahead from Surrey County Council for implementation in 2023/24. Although the details are yet to be confirmed, solutions being looked at are the installation of a zebra crossing that links Benbrick Road to Elmside on The Chase and the possible closure of the northern slip into St John's Road.
The Liberal Democrats are committed to rebuilding the trust and compassion that the UK was once known for. We believe that our country has a responsibility to support those in need, no matter where they are in the world.
For too long, years of neglect and mismanagement by the previous Conservative Government have pushed our prison system into a deep crisis.
The Liberal Democrats have long championed proportional representation, advocating for a voting system where every vote truly counts. We believe that reforming our electoral system is crucial for a fairer democracy and better governance.