New Lib Dem initiatives in the draft Local Plan
This draft plan, whilst largely inherited from the previous administration, offer opportunities for improvement and innovative policies which have been introduced by the Lib Dems.
This draft plan, whilst largely inherited from the previous administration, offer opportunities for improvement and innovative policies which have been introduced by the Lib Dems.
Council needs resident's views on draft Local Plan and inclusion of Green Belt sites to meet Government targets Liberal Democrat controlled Mole Valley Council is consulting residents on a draft Local Plan. The Council needs an approved Local Plan in order to protect our area from undesirable development. To get approval, the plan must meet the Government target for new housing. This is currently set so high that it can only be met by releasing a small amount of Green Belt land. The Council does not believe this is in the best interests of Mole Valley and will continue trying to get this target cut.
Mole Valley District Council Leader, Councillor Stephen Cooksey, invited all Council Members to sign a letter to the Prime Minster, Boris Johnson, in a further attempt to reduce the amount of new housing the government demands to be developed in Mole Valley and that letter will be sent on Wednesday 5th February.
General consensus for Cabinet to ratify Public Consultation
Three years in the making, Mole Valley District Council now has a draft Local Plan ready for consultation. The new Lib Dem administration has had several months to review all the work done to date and has made some substantial improvements. Potentially this plan will be our roadmap and guidance for all building development in our area for the next fifteen years.
The Liberal Democrats have accused the Conservatives of failing to protect local small businesses, after figures revealed that 1645 businesses in the area have closed over the last three years. It comes as the Liberal Democrats have unveiled a series of measures to reverse this decline and boost local firms, to mark Small Business Saturday. Recent figures show that 1645 have closed in Mole Valley between 2016 and 2018, a 13.8% increase compared to the previous three years. Across the UK one million businesses have closed their doors between 2016 and 2018, an increase of almost a third compared to 2013- 2015. The Federation of Small Businesses has warned that a no deal Brexit, which Boris Johnson has repeatedly refused to rule out, would mean more damage to firms. Firms are also being held back by the Conservative government's failure to reform business rates, and by new taxes on the self-employed that business groups have described as "disastrous". Liberal Democrats have said that they will Stop Brexit a
Last night Chris was on Ian Dale’s LBC show talking about the national crisis in special needs provision and what a better special needs education system might look like.
Chris Coghlan MP for Dorking & Horley interviewed September 20th on BBC Radio Surrey about the ongoing works in Dorking's West Street.
Chris Coghlan, MP for Dorking & Horley, and Hazel Watson, County Councillor, visited the site of the sinkhole in Dorking’s West Street, and are keeping up the pressure on Thames Water to fix the issue.
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.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, thousands of Ukrainian children have found safety in the UK – but many still face uncertainty, disruption, and trauma. They deserve security, stability, and the chance to thrive.