Liberal Democrats Oppose County Council Cuts in Services

5.00.00pm GMT Tue 15th Dec 2009

Cuts to frontline services are unnecessary, says Hazel Watson.

Liberal Democrat County Councillors have voiced their strong opposition to cuts in services by the Conservative administration. The Conservative run Cabinet has this Autumn decided to terminate all Pegasus school bus services in July 2010, to reduce the ordinary public bus services and reduce the number of roads to be gritted in winter in advance of ice and snow.

Leader of the Liberal Democrats Cllr Hazel Watson said: "I oppose the decision to cut these services all of which are much needed by Surrey residents. There has been a public outcry because residents do not want these important services to be reduced."

She added: "Many people rely upon bus services to get to school and to work. Vulnerable people will find it even more difficult to reach essential services such as hospitals. Cutting bus services will increase traffic congestion and pollution on our already overcrowded roads. Gritting fewer roads in winter will make the affected roads less safe during snow and ice. It will also isolate rural communities and vulnerable people in winter."

Cllr Watson concluded: "I believe that cuts to frontline services are unnecessary as the council is spending too much money on bureaucracy, agency staff and consultants and wasting money on contracts and purchasing which provide poor value for money. There have been too many examples of large sums of money being wasted on poor value for money projects such as the social care computer project which stalled after two years and several millions of public money."