Surrey Lib Dems lambast Tory Council for complacency on cost-of-living crisis

A Surrey Lib Dems' motion calling on Surrey County Council to declare a cost-of-living crisis emergency in Surrey was voted down by the Tory administration at its full council meeting yesterday. One of the proposals put forward was for Surrey County Council to hold a county-wide summit to bring together a range of organisations that are involved in advising, supporting or providing financial help to residents who are experiencing hardship. The aim of the summit would be to find ways of better coordinating services; identify any gaps in provision and see what more could be done to ease the cost-of-living pressure on vulnerable residents.

In response to the loss of the motion Fiona White (divisional member for Guildford West) said:

"I am extremely disappointed that the Tory administration's stance seems to be that Surrey County Council is doing all it can. My motion did acknowledge some of the good work the authority is already doing, but the evidence from so many councillors based on the personal experience of their residents, shows that is not the case. There is room for improvement and more can and must be done."

Leader of the Surrey Lib Dems Will Forster added: "It is appalling that the Tories running Surrey County Council completely dismissed our motion to help people with the cost of living out of hand. Our proposal was an opportunity for Surrey County Council to take a visible, leading role in bringing together different agencies in a proactive, positive way. Lib Dem colleagues and I know from our inboxes that there is no end in sight to the hardship being experienced by a growing number of our residents and I think the County Council will come to regret this course of action in time."