Due to the pressure and the thorough examination of Liberal Democrat councillor David Goodwin, Surrey County Council Transport Select Committee have forced the Council's Cabinet to reconsider their decision to axe the popular Pegasus school bus service and to proceed instead with a proper investigation to find out how it can be maintained in future for the benefit of Guildford children and parents.
Dave Hodgson (Lib Dem) has won the public vote to become the new directly-elected mayor of Bedford.
The Liberal Democrats on Surrey County Council have called for urgent action to resolve the problems identified in the report of the former Interim Chief Executive Mr. Michael Frater. This report described the Council's problems as a 'whole system failure'.
Liberal Democrat Councillor Peter Lambell (Reigate Central) has condemned the recent refusal by Surrey County Council's Conservative administration to sign up to the national 10:10 climate change campaign. This high profile initiative is supported by all the main national party leaders. It seeks to achieve a 10% cut in carbon emissions in 2010.
Less than a year since they took the decision to maintain the service until 2011 the Tory administration at County Hall has decided to axe the very popular Pegasus buses from the end of the current school year. The decision to discontinue the service has been made without consultation with parents or the schools.
The outgoing Interim Chief Executive of Surrey County Council, Mr Michael Frater, has issued a damning hand-over report to his successor about this Tory-led council. His report describes the council as arrogant, bureaucratic, lacking in vision, direction and strategy, obsessed with itself, inefficient and unsophisticated, with a culture of blame and bullying plus a lack of leadership - and in denial about its own shortcomings.
