Lib Dems call for quicker response to residents

Liberal Democrats on Surrey County Council have called on the Council to respond much more quickly to enquiries and complaints, following a report highlighting failures in responding to residents in a satisfactory time scale.

The report revealed that between April and June 2007, the Council failed to respond to 29% of residents' complaints within a satisfactory time scale.

Surrey residents have had to wait more than 20 working days for a response from the Transport Service, which missed the deadline in 70% of enquiries for the period between April and June 2007.

Similarly, only 31% of complaints made to the Families Service were dealt with within the deadline. The Families Service did not even keep adequate records and so 60% of complaints within that service had no record of the time scale of response.

SCC Liberal Democrat Leader, Councillor Hazel Watson said: "These figures show that Surrey residents are waiting far too long for their enquiries and complaints to be responded to by the County Council. The problem is worst in the Transport and Families Services where the response by the Council is unacceptably long."

Councillor Watson continued: "I am calling for urgent action to ensure that the County Council responds much more speedily to Surrey residents complaints and enquiries. The Tory administration at County Hall says that the County Council should be responsive, but the reality is very different.

This poor service to local residents is a consequence of the Tory administration's Business Delivery Review which resulted in under-staffing - and over-stretched staff who are unable to provide the service that Surrey residents deserve."