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 threat to the 467 bus route was discussed at the recent meeting of SCC's Epsom & Ewell Local Committee. They unanimously passed a motion proposed by Cllr Colin Taylor calling upon SCC's Executive to ensure that local residents in the West Ewell and Ruxley areas can continue to access the various essential services in Ewell village and Epsom town by public transport.
Moves for Epsom & Ewell council to join with other local councils in challenging the Government decision to build the proposed new Critical Care Hospital at St Helier were blocked by the ruling Residents Party at the recent meeting of the Borough Council. Despite various attempts by Lib Dem Councillors Lionel Blackman and Jonathan Lees to debate the issue, rules of procedure were used to prevent the matter being discussed.
The planning application for a new Grandstand at Epsom Downs racecourse is due to be considered by the Planning Committee on Thursday 9th March. The proposal is for a new modern pavilion and grandstand structure, replacing four older buildings and complementing the Queens Stand built about 15 years ago. The new building would also contain conference facilities for use on non race days.
Auditors KPMG have warned in their annual audit inspection that £26 million, already given to the County Council for its waste disposal scheme, might have to be returned to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM). If this happened there would be extremely grave consequences for the Council's financial position. So at next Tuesday's meeting of Surrey County Council, Lib Dem County Councillor Tom Sharp will ask what steps the Tory administration are taking to ensure that the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not reclaim £26m already given to the County Council for its waste disposal scheme.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced on the 10th of December a £340 million increase in this year's provisional grant for county councils, of which Surrey's share is £7.3 million, according to the Council's figures. The Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Surrey County Council, Cllr Janet Maines says: "This is good news for Surrey residents who have been hit hard by Conservative Council Tax rises. The Liberal Democrats will put pressure on the Conservative Administration on Surrey County Council to use this money to keep Council Tax as low as possible, while making sure local services are protected. The Liberal Democrats have also recommended to the Conservative administration that they should put some funding into preventative measures that would keep the budget under control for future years."
Following a motion tabled by Lib Dem County Councillor David Timms, Surrey County Council has now publicly acknowledged its concern over a number of serious weaknesses in its Children's Services that were identified in a recent report by the Audit Commission and the Social Services Inspectorate. The Council has also committed itself to monitor progress towards overcoming these weaknesses.
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.
