The European Parliament has approved a reworked EU-US agreement on access to European citizens' banking data for the tracking of terrorist finance, after rejecting an interim deal in February on the grounds that it insufficiently safeguarded privacy. Work to improve the data protection safeguards, such as shorter storage times and stronger supervision and redress rights, was led by MEPs from the ALDE (Lib Dem) group.
Twitter, love it or loathe it, is a really good way of extending the work of our Focus newsletters : being able to act fast on local issues and get feedback equally quickly.
Residents were horrified at the prospect of an 82-bed hotel in The Parade, next door to the Town Hall, and the council's decision to refuse planning permission has now been supported by the Planning Inspectorate.
South East Lib Dem MEP Sharon Bowles has been named the most influential woman in European finance, according to a Top 100 list published in the Financial News.
There's a busy agenda for next week's business meeting of Epsom & Ewell Borough Council - the first for new mayor Clive Smitheram - including the controversial matter of charging Blue Badge holders in council car parks. The meeting starts at 7.30 on Tuesday 20 July and local residents can observe the proceedings free of charge from the public gallery.
A Motion to the borough council has been submitted which, if agreed, would save money by ending the wearing of ceremonial robes at business meetings.
Liberal Democrats on Surrey County Council have welcomed the setting up of a task group to look at reducing the congestion and damage caused by utility companies digging up the county's roads, but say action should have been taken years ago.
Liberal Democrats on Surrey County Council have said they are "disappointed" at the decision by the county council's Communities Select Committee not to refer plans for 10 libraries to be run by volunteers back to the Cabinet.
Speaking at County Hall, Cllr Fiona White, the Liberal Democrat Adult Social Care spokesperson, said; "The issue is to make sure that the right sort of advice and support is available to Surrey residents as many of them cope with the changes in welfare benefits arising from the Coalition's need to reduce the financial deficit this country faces.
