2009 elections for Surrey CC

County elections will be held on Thursday June 4th alongside elections for the European Parliament. The following candidates are standing for the Liberal Democrats in our area.

Bookham & Fetcham West - Martin Joseph

Martin Joseph

Martin Joseph is ideally placed to serve as a County Councillor, having had a distinguished Civil Service career including a period as Head of the Challenge Funding Unit in the Treasury. He was then appointed as Chief Executive of Environmental Protection UK, campaigning for workable solutions to environmental problems.

Martin is a trained Chartered Psychologist and is active in charitable work. Because he has taken early retirement he is in a position to concentrate fully on County Council duties and to help local residents.

Dorking & The Holmwoods - Stephen Cooksey

Stephen Cooksey

Stephen Cooksey has lived in Deepdene Avenue in the Division for 20 years. He has represented Dorking & the Holmwoods on Surrey County Council since 2005 and Dorking South on Mole Valley District Council since 1992; overall he has over 35 years experience as an elected Councillor on 5 Councils. He is a former leader of Liberal Democrats on Mole Valley Council and Chairman of the Planning Committee.

Stephen serves on the County 'Economy and Environment' and 'Adult and Community Care' Select Committees, the Mole Valley 'Local' Committee and is Vice-Chairman of the District Council 'Scrutiny and Audit' Committee. He has recently succeeded in piloting a major policy decision through the County Council - committing the Council to oppose the Identity Card scheme; he has also obtained funding for many projects including the LINKS organisation in the Holmwoods and Costa Coffee Youth nights in Dorking.

He has been involved in many local organisations including Director of the Chamber of Commerce and of 'Dorking Needs Action', first Chairman of Dorking Town Centre Forum and member of Dorking and District Preservation Society, Dorking Town Twinning and Holmwoods 'LINKS' Committee.

Currently Stephen is Deputy Director of Open University Validation Services but is retiring to become a full-time Councillor if re-elected.

Dorking Hills - Hazel Watson

Hazel Watson

Hazel Watson has lived in Dorking since 1988 and was first elected as a County Councillor representing the northern part of Dorking and its surrounding villages in 1993. On the County Council, she has served as Vice Chairman of the influential Corporate Management Select Committee and then as Chairman of the Adults & Community Care Select Committee.

She is currently Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Surrey County Council, a role in which she leads the campaign to improve services to Surrey residents.

Hazel is married to Michael and has two teenage children. She initially worked for the Confederation of British Industry where she developed education and training policy and then qualified as a solicitor specialising in intellectual property litigation.

Hazel says, "We are very lucky to live in such a beautiful area and it is my aim to ensure that it remains so. At the same time, however, I believe that it is vital that the less fortunate in our society are given the help they need, in the way they need it, to have a decent standard of living."

Dorking Rural - Iain Murdoch

Iain Murdoch

Iain Murdoch is a training and management consultant who has lived in the Capel area for 16 years. He is also a Mole Valley District Councillor for Capel, Leigh & Newdigate.

Iain has a record of working for our rural area. Before he was elected to Mole Valley Council he successfully campaigned for broadband to be opened up to our local area. Subsequently he has campaigned against the Conservative plan for an incinerator in Capel and for the repair of roads, control of speed via the electronic warning signs and to protect local services such as Post Offices.

Iain says, "The Conservatives have wasted millions on the Capel incinerator plan, a business review that ended up with sacked staff being re-employed, expensive consultants and even a failed legal challenge against their one-star rating. This rating from the Audit Commission demonstrates just how poor the services have become, despite the ever-rising Council Tax. We need change and this election is your opportunity to make it happen."

Leatherhead & Fetcham East - Dave Howarth

Dave Howarth

Dave Howarth has lived in Leatherhead for 12 years and is an enthusiastic campaigner on both local and national issues.

He says "I'm delighted to be given this chance to represent the area where I've grown up. On 4th June we have a chance to make a difference to the people of Surrey.

"If elected I will fight to make sure we see improvements in Surrey's child care services and roads."

The Horsleys - Arnold Pindar

Arnold Pindar

Arnold Pindar has lived in our area for over 30 years, and is a member of Effingham Parish Council.

Arnold retired from the British Standards Institution three years ago. He is now a consultant specialising in consumer standards, and Vice-Chair of the National Consumers Federation. Arnold has been a member of the East Horsley based Nomad Theatre for about 20 years and is Chairman of Nomad Players Ltd. Arnold is a former Chairman of Governors at St Lawrence Primary School in Effingham

Arnold says: "Local residents tell me they are angry about huge council tax bills and the appalling state of our roads. We must stop the waste of money, get the roads fixed, and give proper support to vulnerable young people and to disabled and elderly residents and their carers."

Shere - Mark Chapman

Mark Chapman

Mark Chapman works as a senior manager at a national distribution firm, and lives in Guildford.

Prior to moving here he has had 6 years experience as a District Councillor in Bedfordshire, including 2 as Chair of Scrutiny, and a year on the Executive implementing Unitary status.

His key campaign issues include opposing incineration in Surrey, and improving financial control at the County Council