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.
Up until 31 March 2023 residents in some areas of Surrey will benefit from the Government's bus fare cap scheme, which means that a single bus journey will cost no more than £2.
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.
Space is no longer science fiction – it underpins our economy, security, and daily lives. Our new policy will renew the National Space Strategy, support UK spaceports and hubs, and designate space as a strategic industry.
The UK’s asylum system is failing, leaving people fleeing conflict stuck in temporary housing, unable to work, and separated from their loved ones. Our new policy gives practical solutions to clear up the broken system left by the Conservatives.
The Online Safety Act was meant to protect people, yet its flawed implementation risks undermining privacy, free expression, and secure communication. Our new policy addresses our concerns and fights for a digital future where rights are protected.