When Liberal Democrat parliamentary spokesman, Councillor Jonathan Lees, addressed the "Save Epsom Hospital" rally in Rosebery Park on 14th July, he found himself following on after veteran Labour MP Jack Ashley, now Lord Ashley, a long-term supporter of Epsom General Hospital.
According to Epsom & Ewell Borough Council's latest issue of their 'Insight' magazine, "residents' association councillors work together in the council but are not a political party". This is not true.
The Audit Commission's findings in Epsom & Ewell Borough Council for the year 2005/6 have now been published. The Commission was clearly unhappy with performance on recycling and street cleansing. Jonathan Lees, Leader of the Opposition and Councillor for Stamford Ward issued the following statement :
The Lib Dems have re-gained College ward and taken Court ward. A total of 11 of our candidates have been elected as councillors. There are only 2 Tories in the new council and Labour have been wiped out. This is our best result so far and the worst yet for the RA party.
The Lib Dems gathered 680 signatures in Epsom High Street on March 17th to help back the Bill in Parliament (see earlier story).
When Christine Key, who works with the Lib Dems in College Ward, noticed a broken seat in Downside, she asked Cllr Julie Morris to report it.
Following the County Council elections on 5th May, the Liberal Democrats on Surrey County Council re-elected Hazel Watson as Group Leader, with Ian Beardsmore as her deputy. Colin Taylor chairs the group and John Doran is treasurer.
Sharon Bowles officially became a Liberal Democrat Member of the European Parliament on 25th May 2005, taking over from Chris Huhne who has been elected to the Westminster Parliament. As the Liberal Democrats latest addition to the European Parliament, Sharon now represents South East England alongside Emma Nicholson MEP.
The new enlarged Surrey County Council (now with 80 members) met formally for the first time on 24th May. A new chair (David Davis) and vice-chair (Angela Fraser) were elected. The previous leader Nick Skellett was re-elected and announced his new cabinet, including three new faces.
John Phillips, who was elected as the Conservative County Councillor for Frimley Green & Mytchett in 2001, has sensationally resigned from the Conservative Party. More remarkably, he has urged local voters to support Duncan Clark, the Lib Dem candidate to succeed him at the County Election to be held on 5th May.
The Liberal Democrats in Surrey have launched their manifesto for the County Council elections on May 5th. The manifesto includes the Liberal Democrat "Programme of Action" for Surrey from 2005 to 2009 and highlights their "Top Ten" priorities for action to improve services for Surrey residents.
The Lib Dem "Top Ten" Priorities for Surrey are: