My Lib Dem colleagues and I are urging residents to respond to the latest proposal by the Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner for a 5.54% increase in the police element of Council Tax. The proposal corresponds to an annual increase of £10 for Band A households, £15 for Band D, and £30 for Band H […]

As we are in another national lockdown, I want to make sure local people in Woking are aware of where to get the latest advice and support. This virus sadly is not just going to go away quickly despite the hope a vaccine has brought us. As difficult as it is, we will get through […]

Just before the summer, the Government refused to support families of children on free school meals. Thankfully, after a campaign led by footballer Marcus Rashford, they backed down and provided food vouchers for the school summer holiday. But what about half term, Christmas holidays and the school holidays next year?  What if schools are forced to […]

Woking Borough Council has unanimously agreed a Lib Dem motion to oppose the Government’s planning reforms which will reduce local people’s say on development and centralise control of the planning system. The Lib Dems have warned that the Government’s planning proposals will disempower local authorities like Woking Borough Council and allow developers to run roughshod […]

During this week’s Surrey County Council meeting, the Leader of the Council, Tim Oliver ensured his Conservative Group voted against a Lib Dem motion calling for a much-needed reconciliation with the Borough and District Councils with whom a relationship of trust had completely broken down. In his speech the Lib Dem Leader Group Leader, Chris […]

Following my questioning yesterday, Surrey County Council has confirmed that the cost of its failed bid to become a unitary authority was just under £250,000. In anticipation of a Government White Paper on local government devolution, the Conservatives running the County Council decided to pursue plans to become a unitary authority.  This power grab would have […]

The local Lib Dems and I have called on Woking’s Conservative MP, Jonathan Lord, to “pledge to defend the rule of law against any attempts by Boris Johnson and Dominic Cummings to undermine it.” It follows the Tory Government’s announcement of a so-called Independent Review of Administrative Law, with the aim of restricting the ability […]

The Lib Dems and I are calling for greater powers for Surrey County Councl and Woking Borough Council to take action on carbon emissions as figures show progress to cut emissions across the UK has stalled since 2016. In Woking emissions have fallen from 450 kilotons of carbon emissions in 2016 to 401 in 2018. Across […]

I am pleased to say that last night, Woking Council’s Planning Committee overwhelmingly voted to refuse plans to build 1,100 flats and a 9,000 capacity stadium at Woking Football Club’s ground in Kingfield and Westfield. Following speeches against the proposals by a representative of the South Woking Action Group and local councillors, members of the […]

A review by a cross-party task group into the decision to build a 9,000 capacity stadium and 1,100 flats at Woking Football Club’s ground has heavily criticised the decision-making process behind the plans. Following the announcement of plans to redevelop the football ground with a £250 million loan from Woking Borough Council, there has been […]