Despite inheriting an effectively bankrupt Woking Borough Council from the former Conservative administration, my Liberal Democrats colleagues and I have announced a draft balanced budget. Detailed proposals that will deliver over £8 million in Council service-related savings and support the delivery of a balanced budget for the next financial year was debated and approved at […]

The Liberal Democrats running Woking Borough Council recently agreed to reallocate £601,000 of external funding to support six community projects. In 2022 the Council received £1 million from the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which was launched to help Councils build pride in place and increase life chances. The Council’s original investment plan submitted to […]

Schools in Surrey are set to be hit with a £24.8 million cut to spending power in 2024/25 data from the National Education Union reveals. It means that funding per pupil in Surrey will be cut by £167 in 2024/25 compared with 2023/24. There are 355 schools in Surrey, 332 of which will have less […]

My friend and colleague, Paul Kennedy, has been confirmed as the Liberal Democrat candidate to take on the Conservatives in Surrey’s Police and Crime Commissioner elections on 2nd May 2024. Paul has sharply increased the Lib Dem vote at each of the last two elections, and achieved a strong second place in the election with […]

Last week, the Liberal Democrats running Woking Borough Council have agreed a Community Asset Transfer Policy. The policy sets out a framework for the transfer of Council assets, such as community centres and pavilions, to community groups for the benefit of local residents. Additionally, it will allow the Council to make essential budget savings and […]

NHS waiting lists at Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals have hit 59,659, up from 54,852 when Rishi Sunak made his pledge to cut them at the start of last year.  The Liberal Democrats have called for the Government to reverse its NHS spending cuts. It comes as the Conservative Government slashes funding for the NHS […]

The most detailed survey in five years has predicted that the Liberal Democrats and I are set to defeat the Conservative Party in Woking at the next election. The MRP poll by YouGov, reported in The Telegraph yesterday, finds that Conservative Jonathan Lord would narrowly lose their seat to me as the Lib Dem candidate […]

Just before Christmas, Woking Borough Council received a letter from the Minister for LocalGovernment, Simon Hoare MP setting out the Government approach on the financial supportrequired for setting a budget for 2024/25. The Minister acknowledges the collaborative approach Council leadership has taken whilstremaining concerned by the extraordinary levels of Government support required. Thoughother Councils, including […]

Recent research by the Liberal Democrats have revealed that Surrey is top of the pile when it comes to vehicle damage caused by potholes.  Information gathered from responses to Freedom of Information requests show that nationally there were 23,000 compensation claims for damages or injury in 22/23, an increase of 70% on the previous twelve […]

This week, the Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Ed Davey, kicked off 2024 with a campaign rally in Guildford, where he unveiled an ‘Ed Davey’s Tory Removals’ poster van. Ed Davey and the Lib Dems have called for a General Election to take place on 2nd May this year, and will be tabling a bill […]