This time last year, Surrey County Council decided to restrict the use of concessionary bus passes to after 9.30am.

I complained that the decision was being made before the financial implications were known. Other Councils had abandoned similar proposals as they had calculated that the savings would not be significant and would create too many problems for elderly residents who rely on these early services.

It seems I was right.

The latest accounts show that Surrey has underspent its bus budget by £500k this year, far in excess of the £350k saved by these changes.

They could have comfortably afforded to keep a 9am start, providing a lifeline to elderly people in rural areas where on many routes there are no buses after 9.00 for 2 hours or more.

In another major policy U-turn, Surrey’s new leader has decided to drop plans to turn a second tranche of nine libraries into ‘Community Partnership Libraries’.

Although the original ten will still be handed over to volunteers as planned, they will now receive one professional member of staff for 20% of their opening hours. But if the plan to run these libraries with volunteers fails they are still threatened with closure.

The Conservative administration have effectively admitted that the idea is disastrous; they should now 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.

A change of leadership, a cabinet reshuffle and a policy U-turn were the highlights of today’s full council meeting.

Former leader Andrew Povey sacked his Deputy, David Hodge, just two weeks ago following a falling out over policy and leadership style. But his plans backfired dramatically when disgruntled Conservatives rallied around Hodge, resulting in Povey’s resignation and Hodge’s coronation.

The new leader immediately announced his new cabinet, appointing Peter Martin as Deputy Leader with Tim Hall taking his place on Children and Learning. Helyn Clack replaces Tim Hall and Tony Samuels takes on the new position of “Organisation and Regeneration”.

Finally Lynn Hack is to “stand down” from the Cabinet, although it appears that she was sacked after backing the wrong horse during the leadership tussle.

David promised to “listen, learn and localise” before announcing the U turn on on-street parking charges that Lib Dems and residents have been demanding from the start. A hoped-for reversal of the equally unpopular plans to withdraw professional staff from the libraries was not forthcoming today but there were some hints that another U turn may be in the pipeline.

Hodge’s track record as Deputy indicates that he will be a hard working and tough Leader, but with the Conservatives so divided it seems unlikely he will be secure in his position for long.

I’m willing to bet that the Cabinet Member for Transport on Surrey County Council regrets even thinking about trying to introduce on street Pay and Display to towns and villages in Surrey.

The policy has seen a huge backlash from businesses, residents and Councillors alike, and the process of implementation has become farcical. Following the countywide outcry, decisions on detailed implementation were handed to SCC Local Committees, leading to a confusing patchwork of different charging regimes and restrictions being recommended. The business case is tenuous at best and the claimed savings unproven.

And to add to the confusion, the Cabinet at County Hall can overrule any decisions made if they don’t like what is decided.

Shockingly, the situation has become so heated that David Hodge – the Deputy Leader of Surrey County Council has had to write to the chairmen of the Local Committees after it emerged that some Councillors have been bullying Council staff who have the job of trying to guide them through this policy quagmire.

The Reigate and Banstead Committee will decide on 19th September whether to accept the latest proposals for this area. If they do, then free parking in Reigate and Banstead Town Centres looks set to continue but the original proposals to introduce charging to bays in other parts of Reigate, Redhill and Horley remain.

The report proposes free parking in Bell Street, High Street and Church Street, albeit with a reduction to the time limit in Church Street to one hour. Castlefield Road would see a charge of 60p per hour, Upper West Street £1 per hour and Rushworth Road £1 per hour but only on weekdays between 10am and 4pm with a £4.50 long stay option!

Charges for Redhill would be implemented as planned in Brighton Road (30 mins free, £1 per hour), Chapel Road (£1 per hour) and London Road (£1 per hour or £5.50 per day) with some small amendments.

I have consistently opposed the introduction of all on street parking charges and will continue to do so.

In spite of massive public opposition, Surrey County Council’s plans to hand over many of the County’s libraries to volunteers will become a reality once Cabinet approve the final proposals later this month.

A report to Cabinet recommends that professional staffing budgets are withdrawn from 10 libraries in 2012. Local Communities in these areas must come up with viable business plans for their libraries by the end of the year or face closure.

But that number will double in 2013 when a further 9 libraries which have been earmarked for “Community Partnership” are likely to suffer the same fate.

In a further blow, the mobile library service will end on 30th September, and although the Council have promised to find alternatives for existing users, it is not yet clear what arrangements will be made for those in residential homes and sheltered housing, nor has any commitment been made as to how long any alternative arrangements would last.

I understand the council is facing tough spending choices, but I think this decision is short sighted and driven by ideology. Savings of just £330,000 have been identified for 2012/13, that’s about 30p for each resident in Surrey. No consideration has been given to the longer term effects on the literacy of young people, the increased isolation of elderly residents and the community cohesion that libraries provide.

Three Liberal Democrat proposals to increase the involvement of local residents in Council decisions were thrown out by the Council at last week’s meeting.

Firstly, they rejected Lib Dem proposals to reduce the number of signatures on a petition to trigger a council debate from 20,000 to 10,000. The current threshold is one of the highest in the country and only one petition has ever been debated by the Council.

Secondly, they refused to debate our motion calling for a clear consultation policy to be put in place, in spite of the Council’s own annual Governance statement acknowledging the lack of such a policy and a promise for this to be implemented in July 2011.

And finally they refused to back a Liberal Democrat amendment welcoming Government proposals to decentralize powers to Local Commitees and local communities, instead backing the retention of powers by the Leader and his Cabinet.

The Council Leader keeps stressing how the Council likes to listen to residents. Strange then that they continue to reject ideas that would make it easier for your opinions to be heard.

Essential improvement works on the Reigate Hill Footbridge are due to start on 12th July and are likely to bring chaos to the A217 for several months. The existing bridge is a Grade II listed structure and 100 years old. 

Traffic will be reduced to a single lane in each direction with a 30mph speed limit, except on the weekends of 30th July, 6th August and one in November when part of Reigate Hill will be closed and traffic diverted on a long route via the A23. 

The problem will be exacerbated by resurfacing work and water main construction on the A217, both of which are scheduled to start in July and will last approximately 6 months.

Controversial plans for the introduction of Pay and Display in Reigate and Banstead have been thrown into disarray following a successful “call-in” of the policy by Liberal Democrat members of the Environment and Transport Select Committee. 

In a dramatic U-turn, Cabinet have now agreed to allow the Reigate and Banstead Local Committee to decide on whether to accept, amend or reject the proposals.

Tandridge, Woking and Guildford have already rejected the new charges but I am not sure which way the decision will go in Reigate. Some Conservative members, including former Committee Chair Angela Fraser, have publicly spoken out AGAINST the charges, in spite of voting FOR them in Full Council under pressure from the leadership. Whether there is now further pressure from on high for them to toe the party line locally remains to be seen.

The decision will be made at the next public meeting at Reigate and Banstead Town Hall on 19th September at 2pm.

If you have a view on the proposals please let me know!

In spite of countywide protests, petitions of over 70,000 signatures and opposition from Lib Dems and Independents,  the Cabinet agreed yesterday to press ahead with the introduction of On Street Pay and Display parking in Surrey towns and villages.

Many Conservative Councillors have also been campaigning locally against the introduction of pay and display but only one dared to vote against the plans at Full Council last week when the issue was debated. The Reigate Local Committee Chairman Angela Fraser, who has publicly opposed the plan, avoided the issue by leaving the Council Chamber during the vote!

Reigate will be among the first places to have meters installed, currently scheduled for Autumn this year.

However some concessions have been made, with half an hour free parking now proposed for Church Street, High Street and Bell Street. On Rushworth Road, charges will only apply between 10 and 4pm on weekdays. Motorists parking in Upper West Street and Castlefield Road will not enjoy any free parking periods.

On the downside, charges have been increased from the original proposals to £1 per hour except in Castlefield Road where the charge will be 60p an hour. Maximum parking period will be 2 hours except for Rushworth Road where there will be a long stay option of £4.50 per day.

Although the free parking period is welcome, there is concern that this could be withdrawn in future.

There is still a possibility that the whole proposal may be quashed. Liberal Democrats on the Transport Select Committee have demanded a “call in” of the Cabinet decision which will force Cabinet to consider their decision one more time.

On May 5th you have a choice. You can choose to keep using the First Past the Post system to elect our politicians, or you can choose a new and fairer system – Alternative Vote (AV)

AV is a small change that makes a big difference

MPs working harder to earn – and keep – our support

Your next MP would have to aim to get more than 50% of the vote to be sure of winning. At present they can be handed power with just one vote in three. They’ll need to work harder to win – and keep – your support.

A bigger say on who your local MP is

Ranking candidates gives you more say – in who comes first and who comes last. If your favourite doesn’t win, you can still have a say. It’s as easy as 1,2,3…

Tackling the ‘jobs for life’ culture

Too many MPs have their ‘safe seats’ for life. Force complacent politicians to sit up and listen, and reach out to the communities they seek to represent.

Yes to fairer votes

Have a look at the Yes to fairer votes website to see whats wrong with the current system and read our responses to some of the myths the “No” campaign are using.