Mole Valley Liberal Democrats

The Liberal Democrats are calling for appropriate enforcement action against Network Rail over its failure to authorise Mole Valley District Council to take effective action over pigeon fouling under the railway bridge between Fetcham and Leatherhead.

This problem has been dragging on for years with no resolution and Mole Valley District Council is having to divert council taxpayers' funds to what is now weekly cleaning of the pavements under the bridge. Network Rail has accepted the need for the work to be undertaken by the Council but the parties have failed to conclude a legal agreement authorising the work - see public questions posed by Liberal Democrat representatives below.

Liberal Democrat county councillors are calling for Surrey County Council to make urgent financial preparations following a recent judgement in Bristol in which a group of parents successfully challenged Bristol City Council's decision to make deep cuts in special educational needs (SEND) provision. Parents in Surrey have launched a similar judicial review challenging the County Council on cuts to its SEND budget of £21m, which will be heard in October this year.

The Conservatives are making a mess of Brexit, and the Labour Leadership continues to support them. The Liberal Democrats want to give you the final say on the Brexit deal.

Whether people voted Leave or Remain in the 2016 Referendum, latest opinion polls show that most are dissatisfied with the Government's proposals and concerned at the prospect of No Deal. Most support a People's Vote on the final deal, including the option to Remain members of the EU - it's just our MPs who need to respect public opinion on this.

In view of

a) the continuing health hazard and public nuisance from pigeons under the railway bridge over Guildford Road between Fetcham and Leatherhead,

b) the continuing failure of Mole Valley District Council to conclude a satisfactory agreement with Network Rail for effective pigeon proofing, and

Surrey County Council has commissioned a second report from the Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accountancy (CIPFA) to review its financial resilience. This follows a report commissioned in December 2016, costing nearly £25,000, which warned that the financial position of the County Council was "extremely worrying" and that "it is risk of becoming financially unsustainable".

Liberal Democrat councillors have successfully engaged Mole Valley Council to actively resist the funding cut of up to 58% that Surrey County Council is planning for our Children's Centres. At the July Council meeting, the Council agreed a Lib Dem motion calling for opposition to the cuts and mitigating action to reduce their impact.

Liberal Democrat county councillors are calling for urgent improvements to Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services, known as CAMHS, in the county. Surrey County Council currently commissions these services from Surrey & Borders NHS Trust but there has been strong criticism of the long waiting times for routine assessments and appointments. Liberal Democrat county councillors have tabled a motion on CAMHS to be discussed at Council next week.

County Councillors in Surrey have agreed that children's mental health and special needs provision should be the subject of detailed study in partnership with universities and others so that current and future demand for these services can be met. Cllr Chris Botten, Leader of the Lib Dems at SCC moved an amended motion at yesterday's Council meeting, which was passed unanimously, calling for future needs to be understood in the context of current unacceptable waiting lists for CAMHS treatment and a severe shortage of SEND places in the County.

Commenting on the vote in the House of Commons last night on a third runway, Cllr Fiona White, Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Surrey County Council, said today:"This is incredibly disappointing news and represents another broken promise to Surrey residents by this Conservative government.

On 18th June 2018, the Home Office issued a letter to the Chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, regarding Ahmed Hassan's interaction with the police and Home Office, prior to the Parsons Green bombing incident in September 2017. Commenting on the letter, Cllr Hazel Watson (Liberal Democrat, Dorking Hills) said today: