Mole Valley Liberal Democrats - Demand Better

On Saturday several groups from Mole Valley travelled up to London to take part in the People's Vote March, demanding a Final Say on the terms of any Brexit deal and including the option to Remain. Groups were organised by local Liberal Democrats and by the Mole Valley branch of the European Movement; other independent marchers also joined the train at Dorking, Leatherhead, Ashtead and Epsom. It is generally accepted that about 670,000 people were on the march, representing over 1% of the entire UK population. Demonstrators came from all backgrounds, age groups and parts of the UK and large numbers had not taken part in a public demonstration before.

Mole Valley Liberal Democrats have reacted with dismay to reports Gatwick Airport might convert their emergency runway into a second runway, bypassing controls on airport expansion when a restriction runs out next year. Parliamentary Spokesperson Paul Kennedy has called on Secretary of State Chris Grayling MP to intervene to ensure the change is not slipped in by the back door.

At the October meeting of Mole Valley District Council, Tory councillors and their "Independent" allies combined to defeat a Liberal Democrat motion for the Council to support a "People's Vote" which would allow the public to have the final say on the terms of any Brexit deal. Mole Valley was one of the areas where the majority of voters supported Remain in the 2016 referendum and this year many local residents have expressed their support for a further vote on the terms of the deal.

At the Council meeting on 9^th October, Mole Valley District Councillors passed a motion by Lib Dem Councillor Margaret Cooksey proposing two initiatives relating to the site at Headley Court, where the Ministry of Defence is rapidly winding down the operation of the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre.

There was a packed venue in Newdigate as local residents turned out on 3^rd October to listen to a talk about the recent "swarm" of earthquakes in Surrey. The talk was given by Dt Richard Luckett from the British Geological Society (BGS) and had been organised by local LibDem campaigner, Lesley Bushnell. Lesley reports:

Mole Valley District Council will be asked at its next meeting on Tuesday 9 October to debate a Liberal Democrat motion calling for a People's Vote on the Government's proposed Brexit settlement.

Fetcham West Councillor Paul Kennedy, the party's Parliamentary Spokesperson for Mole Valley, has proposed the motion, which calls on the Council to write to Mole Valley's two MPs, Sir Paul Beresford and Chris Grayling, the Prime Minister Theresa May, and Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab.

The latest proposals from the consultants employed by Mole Valley to prepare a Masterplan for the East Dorking Pippbrook Site were revealed at a meeting of 'stakeholders' last night. Liberal Democrat Councillors in Dorking and the surrounding area have labelled the proposals massively disappointing and totally unacceptable.

Liberal Democrat county councillors in Surrey have criticised the ruling Conservative administration for recruiting a new "Business Manager" post, on a salary of more than £43,000, when at the same time planning hundreds of staff redundancies and millions of pounds of cuts to front line services.

The advert, which has appeared on the Guardian website, seeks to recruit a "skilled networker" to County Hall whose work "will often be politically sensitive". The salary offered is £43,638 for a working week of 36 hours, with the promise of a "generous local government salary related pension".

You may be eligible for reduced water bills from your water company. Lower water tariffs are available for people who are on low incomes and who have a special need for water for their family or a health condition.

Bookham South Councillor Elizabeth Daly and Parliamentary Spokesperson Paul Kennedy are working with a number of Mole Valley residents who have now managed to halve their water bill, but who believe they may have been paying too much in the past. This is because until earlier this year their water charges were paid for out of the overall service charge levied by Clarion (formerly Circle) Housing Association.

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.