Epsom & Ewell Liberal Democrats

Surrey Police have now opened their new front counter in Epsom & Ewell Town Hall in The Parade. Their "Neighbourhood Policing" team for Epsom & Ewell are now also based there.

Residents can now access Surrey Police services at a new police front counter in the reception area of the Town Hall. These front counter services have been moved from Epsom Police Station as part of Surrey Police's modernisation programme, which aims to make accessing services more convenient, strengthen partnership working and save costs whilst also investing in more police constables on Surrey streets.

Epsom & Ewell's Energy Forum has arranged to collect unwanted tools on 12th May, between 2pm and 4pm, in the Town Hall car park. If you have any unwanted tools (saws, screwdrivers, planes, hammers, wrenches etc but not gardening or electric tools), now is the chance to look them out and give them a new lease of life for this very good cause.

Councillor Hazel Watson, Liberal Democrat Leader of the Opposition on Surrey County Council, has tabled the following four written questions to the Leader of the Council for the Annual General Meeting on 8 May 2012.

Dead parrot

Since the original announcement of the Community Partnered Libraries proposals for the County's libraries to be run by volunteers we have seen Molesey Library withdrawn from the plan, part time paid staff allocated to libraries and the threat of ongoing staff training costs all meaning that the plan can no longer be saving the County Council money. In other words the often-stated reason that the County Council is pushing ahead with the plans to save them from closure no longer adds up. Will the Leader agree with me that the only reason that the plans are still being pursued is dogma, that he does not want to see himself tainted like his predecessor by a failed ill-conceived proposal, and that the plans like the famous Monty Python sketch, are a dead parrot nailed to the perch to give an impression of still being alive?

Liberal Democrats on Surrey County Council have called on the Conservative-run administration to abandon it's ill-conceived and unpopular plans for 10 of the County's libraries to be run by "volunteers" instead of professional librarians.

In a response to a written question to the Conservative-run Cabinet from Cllr Hazel Watson, the Liberal Democrat Leader of the Opposition, the administration stated that it will "take the decision again" at the 19 June Cabinet meeting.

On Friday we lost one of the borough's most famous and widely respected citizens. Well known everywhere not only as an outspoken Labour MP and as a tireless campaigner for the rights of the disabled and the least fortunate in society, Jack Ashley was also prominent locally as President of Epsom Hospital's League of Friends.

That's the question being posed by Liberal Democrat councillors to a meeting of the full Council on Tuesday 24th April.

Whilst the local authority has a responsibility to balance the interests of business, including those operating at night time, with the needs of an increasing number of residents who live within the town centre, the Lib Dems have previously exposed inconsistencies within the Licensing and Planning systems relating to hours of operation.

On Saturday 12th May, Epsom & Ewell Borough Council are organising a Round The Borough Walk which will take in 20 miles of scenery. Two, possibly three of your Lib Dem councillors are going to attempt the epic journey!

The walk can be an opportunity to raise funds through sponsorship for a charity of your choice, or for the Mayor's charities. Alternatively just join in and enjoy the parks and open spaces including Horton Country Park, the Hogsmill and Epsom Downs.

Lib Dems welcome High Court libraries judgment, and call on Conservative-run County Council to put the plans back on the bookshelf

Liberal Democrats on Surrey County Council have welcomed the judgment by Mr Justice Wilkie in the High court today.

Commenting on the judgment, Liberal Democrat Communities Spokesperson John Orrick said: "Liberal Democrats have repeatedly raised our concerns regarding the equalities impact of the County Council's library plans.

Thank you to all our sponsors who might like to look at the videos and photos of our participation in Sport Relief 2012. Nonsuch Park was oversubscribed (a limit of 1500 taking part in the Sport Relief Mile was set, but capacity probably needs to increase to 2000 next time). A sunny day and excellent stewarding by volunteers from Epsom & Ewell Borough Council created a splendid event once again.

Over 20 million working people will be better off next year after Liberal Democrats in the Coalition Government delivered the biggest ever increase in the income tax personal allowance in the Budget.

The massive £3.5bn tax cut for working people delivers:

• The biggest ever single uplift in the tax threshold
• A personal allowance of £9,205 in April 2013
• 21 million working people getting an extra £220 tax cut
• Brings the total tax cut for basic rate tax payers to £550
• Brings the total number of people lifted out of tax to 2 million.