QUESTION: What does Surrey have in common with Haringey, Milton Keynes and Doncaster? (and nowhere else?). ANSWER: Surrey's Children's Services have been rated 'inadequate' by Ofsted, with a rating for 2008 of just 1 out of 4.
This time last year Liberal Democrats on Surrey County Council campaigned, with some success, against a sudden and counter-productive freeze of recruitment to the Youth Development Service. Now the county's (Conservative) Executive have imposed a fresh one.
Sadly, there is little evidence he would. This spring, Surrey failed its Ofsted inspection of safeguarding services for Children, which were inspected during the Joint Area Review. Safeguarding, along with provision for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities, was found to be 'inadequate'.
Surrey County Council has approved a potentially very significant resolution proposed by Lib Dem County Councillor Stephen Cooksey (Dorking and the Holmwoods). It was agreed that, unless required to do so by law, Surrey will take no part in preparing for the government's ID Card scheme, it will refuse to participate in the national database and it will establish as Council policy that Identity Cards will not be required to obtain Surrey County Council benefits or services.
The Liberal Democrats on Surrey County Council have launched a 10 point action plan to support Surrey residents and local businesses adversely affected by the economic downturn.
When the use of Wells House, Epsom for children's respite care ended in December 2006, parents were told that a replacement facility would be provided in Banstead by September 2007. This has not yet happened, and when Cllr Colin Taylor (Lib Dem) asked the Executive Member for an update it was revealed that the new unit is now expected to open two years late in September 2009.
