Tory Budget Bad News for Surrey's Residents
Lib Dems at Surrey County Council opposed the ruling Conservative administration's 4.8% rise in council tax and condemned a cut in roads and schools maintenance spending.
 
                
        
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        Lib Dems at Surrey County Council opposed the ruling Conservative administration's 4.8% rise in council tax and condemned a cut in roads and schools maintenance spending.
Epsom & Ewell's Lib Dem councillors have honoured the pledge in their election manifesto not to support council "freebies".
Cllr Jonathan Lees, leader of the Liberal Democrat group of councillors, comments on the Audit Commission's annual audit and inspection letter for 2006/7 and says it is no surprise that the Audit Commission has highlighted the borough council's financial strategy and recycling performance.
The Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Surrey County Council, Cllr Hazel Watson, has welcomed the abandonment of plans to close four libraries in Surrey. She said: "I am pleased that proposals to close the libraries in Hersham, Caterham Hill, Ewell Court and New Haw are to be abandoned. However, it is regrettable that the libraries in Bagshot and Virginia Water are still under threat."
Head Teachers and educationalists were appalled by Surrey County Council's intention to remove 14 posts and make all four Surrey Local Education Officer teams redundant as part of the Business Delivery Review.
The Liberal Democrat Group on Surrey County Council is calling on the Conservative-run Executive to reconsider its plans to close six of Surrey's libraries. Diana Smith, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Schools and Communities, said that over the years a lack of investment by the Tories in one of the county's key resources had left it unable to grow to meet modern needs, with the number of people using libraries falling. "In an increasingly 24 hour society it's no wonder people aren't using the libraries, when opening hours are so limited. And when they get there, often the choice of books is restricted and there isn't room for the range of computers that a modern information centre needs."
 
                
        
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