I have had a number of comments about the way in which I used my casting vote on the North Street planning application on 11th January. I think it may help if I could explain why I decided not to support the proposal. This was very much an ‘on balance’ decision. I agree with everyone […]

Last night’s meeting with residents of the Woodbridge Hill area of Westborough that Cllr James Steel and I attended can only be described as “lively”. The meeting was originally arranged to talk about parking but it soon became clear that was only a symptom of a number of other problems. They want the parking issues […]

The recent Chesham & Amersham by-election has focused a lot more attention on the government white paper on the future of planning policy in England. So what’s all the fuss about? Is it just a load of NIMBYs making a noise? The government says that the changes are needed to stimulate housebuilding. The fact is […]

Adult social care services in the UK are in crisis. That applies to Surrey County Council as much as anywhere else. The number of people needing care has increased. People are living longer but not always in good health. Children born with disabilities now live into adulthood and people who become disabled survive for longer. […]

While we have been trying to cope with the Covid-19 pandemic all across the country councils, voluntary organisations and community activists have been making extra efforts to help out people in need. That includes supporting those who have been shielding because of health issues or who are vulnerable for other reasons. Everyone who can has […]

I have been in favour of reorganising local government for a long time. The two-tier system worked well in the past but I believe that it is no longer fit for purpose especially now that the internet makes communication so much easier. But, and it’s a big but, I have to ask why the government […]

The gap in health equality in England has grown over the last 10 years. In 2010, Sir Michael Marmot published a review into health inequality entitled Fair SocietyHealthy Lives. He found that there was a very big gap between the life expectancy and the health quality of life between people in different social circumstances. In […]

After many years of campaigning by local residents supported by Westborough councillors, the top of the allotments site at Woodside Road in Westborough is going to go back to being plots for gardeners. At its May meeting earlier this year, Guildford Borough Council Planning Committee approved the council’s own application to return them to their […]

There is a lot of discussion going on about whether we should stay in the European Union or whether we should pull out and join EFTA (and therefore the European Economic Area) as an alternative.  One of my Lib Dem colleagues had the brilliant idea of asking EFTA how easy it would be and what […]

Adult Social Care is the biggest budget for all of Surrey County Council’s services.  This is because we have a lot of older people in the county and have one of the highest numbers of people with learning disabilities in the country.  The department’s budget has been hit hard over the last few years because […]