Hazel Watson has been chosen as the new leader of the Liberal Democrats on Surrey County Council. Previously Hazel was deputy leader. Janet Maines, the previous Group Leader becomes deputy leader. At the same time, Dr. John Hobrough has been appointed as Group Chairman.
The SCC Lib Dem group's deputy leader Hazel Watson recently highlighted the inadequacy of access provision for disabled people to Surrey County Council buildings (see "Lib Dems get disabled access high on agenda", March 23rd 2004). The Tory administration running the County Council seem to be unhappy with being criticised for not taking action on this issue. Despite their claim to be an "Exemplar of Modern Democracy", they have removed Mrs Watson from her position as Vice-Chair of the relevant SCC Select Committee.
Tory-controlled Surrey County Council is continuing to privatise the services it is legally required to provide. The Council's educational services have been privatised, see "Surrey Schools Services sold to Defence Contractor" dated 31st July 2003. With effect from 1st April 2004, they are now provided by VT Four S Limited. The Liberal Democrats are concerned that the Tories are obsessed with privatising more and more services, even though the Council seems increasingly to be encountering problems with those it has already privatised.
At the County Council meeting on March 23rd, Lib Dem councillor Colin Taylor commented that pictures of the new County Hall show a glass-clad building. Such buildings tend to feel too hot in summer and too cold in winter - or use lots of energy maintaining comfort.
After six years of campaigning, the Liberal Democrats at County Hall have succeeded in convincing Surrey County Council to undertake urgent work to make its properties "disabled friendly". The County Council has approved a Liberal Democrat motion that puts disabled access high on the County Council's priorities. A report recently commissioned by the County Council highlighted the current situation of the County's public buildings.
Surrey County Council Conservatives' claims that extra funding has been put into education, social services and road maintenance by sweeping cuts in administration and bureaucracy could be described politely as misleading or perhaps more accurately as downright lies, according to Councillor Janet Maines, the Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Surrey County Council. Most of the extra funding in the budget has come either from the government or from prudential borrowing says Mrs Maines.
A new charity single to support young carers
Pippa Heylings reports from the global climate summit in Baku
What the Government is doing, and why we're opposing it.
October is Black History Month - a chance to celebrate the Black British community, acknowledge their contributions and discover their stories.
Read Ed Davey's speech to the Liberal Democrats' Autumn Conference in Brighton
Carers are not just support for their loved ones—they are the glue holding our fragile social care system together. They deserve more than token acknowledgements or empty promises.
