Esher and Walton Liberal Democrats

Liberal Democrats on Surrey County Council are presenting a motion to next week's Full Council raising concerns about the County's performance with regard to child adoption and children in care.

Liberal Democrat leader of the Opposition Cllr Hazel Watson says:

"The Child in Care and Adoption Performance Tables published last month by the Department for Education show many major failings by Surrey County Council. Just taking two of the most concerning findings for Surrey County Council in the tables: Surrey came 139th out of 152 in the proportion of young people aged 19 who were looked after aged 16 who were in suitable accommodation, only 9 councils performed worse, and 2 of those - Rutland and the Isles of Scilly - had no figures reported.
Surrey also came 111th in the percentage of children looked after continuously for 12 months who achieved at least level 4 at Key Stage 2 in both English and Mathematics.

"If the Conservative-led Council cannot ensure the children in its care have a decent roof over their head and receive an education that prepares them for later life it is failing those children.

"When presenting the Budget Monitoring Report to the Cabinet on 1 November, the same day as the tables were published, the Leader of the Council said; 'Our number one priority is looked after children'. At the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Communities Select Committee on 16 November the Leader restated that looked after children are his personal priority. It is time for the Leader to ensure Surrey's Children in Care and adopted children are not left wanting."

Surrey County Council's Liberal Democrats have welcomed the major U-turn by the Conservative administration in its plans to turn a further nine libraries into "Community Partnership Libraries", but say it doesn't go far enough.

The U-turn, announced today by the Council Leader sees nine libraries; Ash, Caterham Hill, Frimley Green, Hersham, Horsley, Knaphill, Lightwater, Shepperton and West Byfleet saved from the plans, but the original ten libraries; Bagshot, Bramley, Byfleet, Ewell Court, Lingfield, New Haw, Stoneleigh, Tattenhams, Virginia Water and Warlingham still being pushed ahead to be managed by volunteers, although it was also announced they would receive one member of staff for 20% of their opening hours.

Cllr John Orrick, the Liberal Democrat Communities Spokesperson on Surrey County Council, says: "Liberal Democrats have consistently argued for many years that all of Surrey's libraries should remain open. We have argued against two tiers of library, with no second class libraries, and we want professionals at the heart of Surrey's library network.

"The Conservative County Council have effectively admitted by their U-turn on the plans for the second tranche of libraries that the idea is disastrous, they should go further and announce that the whole plan is going to be scrapped. Throwing the ten threatened libraries a crumb from the table of one member of staff for one fifth of their opening hours will do little to remove fears of a downgraded service and eventual closure."

ENDS

The Lib Dems in Government are taking real action to tackle youth unemployment. Every young person who wants it will be guaranteed a job, training or work placement.

The Youth Contract will create over 400,000 new jobs and 250,000 new work experience placements to help young people across Britain to get into work.

EU leaders have been asked to explain what they are doing to cut deaths on Europe's roads.

South East Lib Dem MEP Catherine Bearder has tabled a question to the European Commission, as charity Brake launched its Road Safety Week campaign. Figures have shown 3,820 people in the region died or were seriously injured in smashes last year compared to 4,124 in 2009. All EU countries managed to cut road deaths, but struggled to meet a ten-year 50 per cent target.

Liberal Democrats on Surrey County Council have condemned the County's Communities Select Committee for failing to reverse plans to axe all staff from ten of the County's smaller libraries.

Members of the committee voted against the call-in of the decision by Liberal Democrat and Residents councillors, but only on the Chairman's casting vote.

Lib Dem Communities Spokesperson John Orrick said: "If the plans are pushed through by the Conservative administration it will be a disaster for each of the County's smaller libraries, which have a gun to their head to toe the line with this policy. It discriminates against Surrey's smaller towns. Many members of the Committee, from all political groups, shared the concerns raised by Surrey Libraries Action Movement, and by the Liberal Democrat members of the Committee. I still hope that the new Leader of the Council will listen to the concerns and may change the policy in a big announcement later in the year."

ENDS

In a debate on the future of Surrey's libraries at County Hall this afternoon not a single Conservative councillor voted for the council to abandon its plans for Community Libraries and adopt a library policy that retains professional staff in all libraries.

However, following the humiliating U-turn by the Conservative administration this morning on on-street parking charges, there were hints that another U-turn may be in the pipeline.

Cllr John Orrick, the Liberal Democrat Communities Spokesperson on Surrey County Council, says: "Liberal Democrats have consistently argued for many years that all of Surrey's libraries should remain open. We have argued against two tiers of library, with no second class libraries, and we want professionals at the heart of Surrey's library network.

"Hundreds of hours have been wasted by councillors and council officers on this unpopular policy, at massive expense to Surrey Council Tax payers. This time and money would have been better spent on more productive and urgent issues.

"However, there were suggestions from some Conservative councillors that when the issue is debated again next Tuesday afternoon by the Communities Select Committee, following a call-in by Liberal Democrat and Residents Association councillors, that they will be open to look again at the issue. Hopefully this will mean that plans for up to19 libraries to be only run by volunteers will be shelved and an alternative proposal that still saves money, but removes the threat of closure from libraries will be found.

"There has been massive pressure by library users across the County against the plans, and it is beginning to look like the Conservaive group are being dragged into listening to public opinion."

ENDS

In a victory for local campaigners and Liberal Democrats who organised an on-line petition with 26,300 signatures, the new Leader of Surrey County Council will this morning announce the abandoment of the County's on-street parking charge plans.

Cllr Hazel Watson, the Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Surrey County Council, says:

"The Leader of the Council has finally accepted the strength of the 26,300 signature petition organised by the Liberal Democrats and has caved in over the introduction of car parking charges across the County.

"I wholeheartedly welcome this U-turn by the Conservative administration at County Hall. They have finally seen sense and realised that the policy would hit Surrey businesses hard, would tax the motorist and clog up Surrey's residential roads with parked cars.
"The Liberal Democrats have opposed the On-Street Parking Charges policy from day one.

"It was unrealistic to expect to bring in enough money from car parking charges to cover the costs of the scheme.

"I am delighted that this half-baked policy has been abandoned. However it has taken too long for the Tory administration to admit their policy would not work. They tried to force through the policy despite massive opposition by residents and businesses.

"The Conservatives rejected a Liberal Democrat motion to Council, threw out a 26,300 signature petition organised by the Liberal Democrats and pushed ahead with the plans.

"Hundreds of hours have been wasted by councillors and council officers on this failed policy, at massive expense to Surrey Council Tax payers. This time and money would have been better spent on more productive and urgent issues.

"All over the County Conservative councillors have told their local residents that they oppose the plans, while voting for them in County Hall. It has finally taken a palace coup and the replacement of the Conservative Leader for a U-turn to happen."

Liberal Democrat Transport Spokesperson Stephen Cooksey adds:

"The scheme was an ill-planned disaster from beginning to end which proved that, even with a large majority, Conservative policies that are totally unacceptable to the public can be defeated. Liberal Democrats have led the opposition to this scheme from its inception in January and have supported and co-ordinated opposition throughout the County. Everyone who has participated, not least the 26,300 people who signed the epetition in April, will feel more comfortable for knowing that not only has this policy been defeated by massive public opposition but that County Conservatives can no longer take the public for granted and disregard opposition as they tried to do in this case.

"Council Tax payers are, however, left to pick up the significant bill for wasted officer time, advertising unacceptable schemes and negotiating contracts. I expect the Tories to tell us exactly how much money they have wasted on this failed project at a time when they are planning to close Libraries and reduce important services. It is a sad comment on the ability of the Conservative adminstration to run the Council in a fair and effective manner and one that people will not forget."

ENDS

In a final act as outgoing Leader of Surrey County Council, Dr Andrew Povey and his Cabinet have pushed through unpopular plans to remove full-time staff from up to 19 of the County's libraries and end the mobile library service from this week.

In front of a packed and angry public gallery, the outgoing Leader ignored appeals for an end to the plans, which will save very little money, whilst placing libraries under threat of closure.

In his keynote speech to the Liberal Democrat Conference, Party Leader and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has outlined his goals for the Government and the country over the coming years. He reiterated his commitment to liberal values on the environment and human rights and his determination to ensure a fair chance for every child, saying "every child can do good things, great things, if only we give them the opportunities they deserve."