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.
The number of children hoping to start at primary schools in Epsom & Ewell next September appears to exceed the total number of places available in the borough. Figures quoted at a recent meeting of Surrey County Council indicate that although there is a small surplus of 30 secondary school places, there is a shortfall of 11 for entry to reception classes at age 4+.
Epsom's Lib Dem councillors will be holding two surgeries every month from February 2008. You can visit councillors (and FOCUS team members) without an appointment on the second Saturday of every month between 10 and 12 midday.
At a full Council meeting on Tuesday 11 December, Members agreed to back the Fairtrade campaign and meet set requirements laid down by the national Fairtrade Foundation.
Hazel Watson, Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Surrey County Council, has called for the Council to reduce the level of mineral extraction in the County over the next decade. The County Council's Conservative Executive has determined that the level of minerals extraction should be set at 2.24 million tonnes annually. The Liberal Democrats believe that this is too high.
This white paper is not only flawed, it is also dangerous - dangerous to the health of our education system and dangerous to our children's education. An admissions "free for all" will cause widespread segregation and unequal educational opportunity. Please note our two Labour councillors - unequal educational opportunity! I think you will agree that these are not traditional Labour values - but there again this is New Labour isn't it?
The Government's new Education white paper is a massive document, with a great many proposals in. I guess only Paul Gray and the Executive member at this point could give an indication of the work that will go on to form a detailed response, and the length of time this will take. It's a paper that's full of ideas and ideology. There's a quite a way to go in terms of legislation and setting up the new systems, and a lot of decisions still to be made. In putting forward this motion, we have chosen to focus on three areas of concern, which - in educationspeak - will be particularly challenging to Surrey and may lead to undesirable outcomes.
The Liberal Democrats have laid out a bold and ambitious plan to restore the UK’s natural environment and ensure that everyone can access a clean, healthy, and thriving green space.
For many people, Buy Now Pay Later is a useful and convenient solution, offering them flexibility with their purchases. But consumers need stronger protections.
With the right investment, we have the opportunity to turn things around and ensure that every child, regardless of their background, has the chance to succeed.
