Liberal Democrats stand up for Surrey Residents

6.56.52pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 26th Jul 2005

Liberal Democrat County Councillors tried at today's council meeting to ensure that priorities important to Surrey residents are included in the Council's formal list of priorities for the next four years. Hazel Watson, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on the County Council, said: "The Conservative administration's plans need to be clearer and more specific. Important priorities are missing from the Conservatives' plans."

The Liberal Democrat proposals would not increase Council Tax

The additional priorities proposed by the Lib Dems were:

• Provide more activities for young people

• Protect school budgets and invest in early support for pupils who need it

• Improve public transport to reduce traffic congestion

• Promote more affordable and key worker housing

• Dispose of residual waste in the most environmentally friendly way possible

• Increase support for carers

• Involve local people in the Council's decision-making process.

Hazel Watson also called upon the Conservative administration to provide costings for their priorities, because no figures were given in their report. She commented: "This calls into question the extent to which the Conservative administration's plans have been thought through and are realistic and achievable."

She criticised the slow progress being made in making efficiency savings in administrative functions. She said: "I hope that the Conservative administration will not be considering cuts to front line services because of slow progress being make in making efficiency savings in administrative activities."

The Liberal Democrat proposals would not increase Council Tax. At the budget setting meeting in February, costed proposals for service improvements, with specified savings identified to fund them, were proposed by the Liberal Democrats, but rejected by the Conservatives.

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