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.
Surrey County Council's increase in Council Tax of "only" 5% may not be as high as in some recent years, but not only is it around twice the rate of inflation, it comes at a high price in terms of cuts in services, with the expectation of hundreds of staff redundancies to follow in April.
The new leader of the national Liberal Democrat party is currently being chosen by the party's thousands of ordinary members, on the basis of "one member - one vote" using the democratic Single Transferable Vote system by ranking the three candidates in order of preference. The deadline for ballot papers is 1st March and the name of the new Leader will be announced on 2nd March in time for the party's Spring Conference at Harrogate, starting on 3rd March.
There is so far no firm news about the formal inquiry to be held by a Planning Inspector into Rosebery's appeal against Epsom & Ewell Planning Committee's refusal of their application to build 72 new dwellings accessed from Rosebank on part of the school playing field, known locally as the Cabbage Patch. It is understood that current delays in holding planning inquiries are such that it might be autumn before this one is heard, but on the other hand efforts are being made to reduce delays.
After much pressure from the Lib Dems, the Tory chairman of the council's Transportation Select Committee agreed to call a special meeting on 19th September to comment on the proposed reduction of Sunday and evening services, due to be re-considered by the Executive on 30th September.
In December 2001, Surrey County Council's Planning and Regulatory Committee met to decide on three of the most controversial Planning Applications for many years - the 3 so-called "Energy from Waste" Incinerators in Redhill, Guildford and Capel, south of Dorking. The large attendance by the public was catered for by a video link to the sports hall.
Despite strong opposition from the Liberal Democrat group, the Conservative majority on Surrey County Council has forced through a sell off of Surrey school support services to warship makers Vosper Thornycroft.
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.
