http://www.molevalleylibdems.org.uk/newsarchive.php Recent News Stories from Mole Valley Liberal Democrats en-GB Mole Valley Liberal Democrats http://www.molevalleylibdems.org.uk/ Prater Raines Ltd http://www.praterraines.co.uk/ (c) 2010 Mole Valley Liberal Democrats 2010-03-13T01:00+00:00 United Kingdom http://www.molevalleylibdems.org.uk/news/000092/lib_dems_pledge_to_open_up_council_decisionmaking.html The Liberal Democrats have announced a series of measures they will take to open up Mole Valley District Council if you give them the opportunity to run the Council after this May's elections. Under a Liberal Democrat administration members of the public will have the right to present petitions at Council meetings and speak to them. They will also be able to question the Executive about decisions it makes on behalf of the Council. Area Forums will be revitalised with much greater public involvement in agenda setting and a direct route to Council for their views to be heard. 2010-02-21T20:33+00:00 http://www.molevalleylibdems.org.uk/news/000091/campaign_success__food_waste_collection_goes_districtwide.html Liberal Democrats and environmental campaigners are celebrating the news that collection of food waste is to be extended to the whole of Mole Valley in the near future. This follows a successful trial in Bookham and Fetcham involving weekly collection of food waste in separate small containers. The trial was initially scrapped by the Conservative administration but reinstated after a strong campaign by the Liberal Democrats and local residents. 2010-02-21T20:25+00:00 http://www.molevalleylibdems.org.uk/news/000089/grit_bin_fiasco.html Throughout Surrey there was a failure to fill and top-up grit bins during the periods of heavy snow in December and January resulting in many justified complaints from residents. Just how chaotic the situation was has been revealed following questions from County Cllr Stephen Cooksey. 2010-02-13T08:00+00:00 http://www.molevalleylibdems.org.uk/news/000086/gritting_fiasco_as_council_services_fail.html The County Council failed to grit regularly some of the most important roads in our area during the snow in December and January - whilst minor roads went without any gritting whatsoever.Throughout the area, grit bins have been left empty - with the County Council failing to fill their bins and the Mole Valley Housing Association also failing to fill the bins on their properties. 2010-02-08T17:00+00:00 http://www.molevalleylibdems.org.uk/news/000096/capel_incinerator_finally_defeated.html Final confirmation of the defeat of Surrey Conservatives' plan for an incinerator at Capel has come in a letter from the County Council confirming that the planning applications have been withdrawn. The letter also states that an application has been received to return the site to Greenfield status in accordance with the existing planning permission. 2010-02-21T20:57+00:00 http://www.molevalleylibdems.org.uk/news/000095/dorking_town_area_action_plan__have_your_say.html Consultation is under way on Stage 1 of the Dorking Town Area Action Plan - including controversial proposals about land allocation for retail, housing and business use over the next 20 years. It also addresses roads, traffic, parking, civic and leisure facilities and improving the town's appearance. 2010-02-21T20:52+00:00 http://www.molevalleylibdems.org.uk/news/000094/rethink_on_atkinson_house.html Despite Mole Valley Housing Association suggesting that Atkinson House in Betchworth might be knocked down and replaced by affordable housing, there now appears to be a pause for thought. Mole Valley District Council has commissioned a report on what sort of sheltered housing is really needed in Mole Valley in the years ahead. Mole Valley Housing Association will also hold much more open consultations in the next year. "We're not out of the wood yet," says Liberal Democrat campaigner Paul Potter, "but it does look as if the authorities are back-pedalling a bit." 2010-02-21T20:49+00:00 http://www.molevalleylibdems.org.uk/news/000093/silver_court_victory.html Residents of Silver Court in Leatherhead are celebrating victory. After a vigorous campaign, led by Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate Alice Humphreys, Councillor Bridget Lewis-Carr and local residents Ray Houlgate and Peter Humphreys, Mole Valley Housing Association (MVHA) has backed down from its plans to scrap lunchtime meals for residents. Instead, the meals service will continue with a small increase in charges. 2010-02-21T20:40+00:00 http://www.molevalleylibdems.org.uk/news/000087/south_east_mep_sharon_bowles_welcomes_step_in_the_right_direction_on_ending_cruelty_to_horses.html Lib Dem MEP Sharon Bowles has welcomed the European Parliament's adoption of a written declaration outlining steps to end cruelty to horses. 2010-02-19T11:08+00:00 http://www.molevalleylibdems.org.uk/news/000088/localism__not_a_good_start.html The new Conservative administration, following David Cameron's lead, has now proudly proclaimed a conversion to "localism" (the devolution of decision making to the lowest level) which is a complete reversal of the policies of the last Conservative government. However the first test of the new approach revealed that not much had changed. 2010-02-15T08:00+00:00 http://www.molevalleylibdems.org.uk/news/000090/lib_dems_oppose_damaging_county_council_budget.html The Liberal Democrats on Surrey County Council have voted against the Tory administration's budget for 2010/11 at County Hall. Leader of the Liberal Democrats Cllr Hazel Watson said: "I support the 2.5% level of Council Tax increase proposed for the Council. Many Surrey residents are struggling to pay their bills during the economic downturn and therefore the Council Tax needs to be set as low as possible whilst allowing for adequate funding for services. I oppose, however, the content of the budget proposed by the Conservative administration as it does the opposite of what Surrey residents want." 2010-02-12T08:00+00:00 http://www.molevalleylibdems.org.uk/news/000085/dorking_improvements.html After years of pressure from Dorking Councillors Mole Valley District Council is set to agree with some town centre improvements. The Council has received £20,000 of Section 106 developer funding for environmental work and £10,000 for works of public art. 2010-02-09T14:44+00:00 http://www.molevalleylibdems.org.uk/news/000084/new_contract_for_street_lighting.html Surrey County Council has signed a long-term contract with a private company to renew all street lights in Surrey and provide an improved service when lights fail. New lighting will also be considered for areas where previous requests have been made. This should improve lighting quality and reduce electricity consumption. However, the renewal programme will be rolled-out over a 5-year period and Mole Valley will be the last of the 11 Districts to benefit - it will be 2015 before replacements appear. 2010-02-09T14:40+00:00 http://www.molevalleylibdems.org.uk/news/000083/conservative_councils_are_letting_us_down.html The latest Audit Commission assessments of both Mole Valley District Council and Surrey County Council show them to be merely adequate for most aspects. Surrey has also received a damning report on the failures of its Adult Social Services. 2010-02-09T14:36+00:00 http://www.molevalleylibdems.org.uk/news/000080/cameron_hammers_another_nail_in_tory_eurocoffin.html David Cameron has ordered Tory councilors to abandon their political allies in Europe. 2010-02-05T15:11+00:00