Epsom & Ewell Liberal Democrats

Liberal Democrat county councillors have expressed their concern after it was revealed that 6 care homes in Surrey are rated as "Unsafe" by the Care Quality Commission and have contracts with Surrey County Council. The information was revealed following a question tabled by Cllr Hazel Watson, Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Surrey County Council, to the Conservative Cabinet this week.

Liberal Democrat county councillors in Surrey have launched a petition to save four community recycling centres earmarked for closure by the Conservative administration at County Hall after a huge outcry from local residents. The petition also calls for the county council to scrap plans to reduce the opening times of every CRC in the county by 2 days per week and increase the charge for residents disposing of waste. The four centres earmarked for closure are Bagshot, Cranleigh, Dorking and Warlingham.

Liberal Democrat county councillors have called for a thorough review of fire safety in Surrey following the Grenfell Tower tragedy in North Kensington. At least 80 people were killed in the blaze, with an unknown number of people still missing and unaccounted for. Surrey Fire & Rescue Service attended the incident to provide assistance to the London Fire Brigade, due to the sheer scale of the disaster.

Liberal Democrat County Councillors in Surrey have expressed their deep concerns over plans by the Conservative administration at County Hall to axe £2.8m from the support it gives to the most vulnerable residents to support their housing needs.

The county council has launched a consultation on the proposals which if enacted would reduce the Housing Related Support budget by 70% or £2.8m. Currently 4,477 people receive help but the county council proposes to withdraw all support from those who do not qualify for assistance under the Care Act (2014).

Liberal Democrat county councillors have criticised Conservative-run Surrey County Council after it emerged that after only two months of the new financial year, the county council is already predicted to overspend by £24 million pounds. According to the county council, this overspend has been caused by the failure to achieve millions of pounds of savings, as well as a significant overspend of £12.1m in the Children's Services department.

Liberal Democrat county councillors in Surrey have expressed their anger and opposition to Tory plans to axe 4 Community Recycling Centres (CRCs) across the county. The plans follow on from the introduction of hugely unpopular charges to use the CRCs last year which were forced through by the Conservative Cabinet, despite widespread opposition by residents and Liberal Democrat county councillors.

The re-scheduled Epsom & Ewell Hustings on Tuesday evening went off well at St Martin's, where more than 150 people gathered to grill the General Election candidates.

In his opening statement, Lib Dem candidate Steve Gee called on the government to "stop the barbaric assessments of disabled people" in the benefits system.

Liberal Democrat councillors in Surrey have slammed the Conservative Cabinet at County Hall for cutting vital services provided to young vulnerable adults across the county.

The cuts were decided at a meeting of the Conservative cabinet last week, with nearly £450K axed over the next two years from outreach services targeted at hard to reach young people in Surrey. The consultation period for the proposed changes was only 8 weeks in length, contradicting the County Council's own guidance known as the Surrey Compact, which recommends a 12-week consultation.

Liberal Democrat county councillors in Surrey have expressed their concern over the removal of any mention of Cross Rail 2 from the Conservative manifesto in the forthcoming General Election, casting doubt over their commitment to the project.

The proposed Crossrail 2 plans would connect north London to Surrey, with interchanges at rail routes through to Shepperton and Epsom, as well as linking up with Crossrail 1 stations in central London.