Local residents have reacted with dismay and outrage to the devastating news that Leatherhead's vital Children's Centre is set to close, as part of Conservative proposals to close 31 Children's Centres across Surrey. The move would leave families in Leatherhead, Ashtead, Fetcham and Bookham dependent on services provided by Mole Valley's only other Children's Centre in South Dorking.
On Saturday several groups from Mole Valley travelled up to London to take part in the People's Vote March, demanding a Final Say on the terms of any Brexit deal and including the option to Remain. Groups were organised by local Liberal Democrats and by the Mole Valley branch of the European Movement; other independent marchers also joined the train at Dorking, Leatherhead, Ashtead and Epsom. It is generally accepted that about 670,000 people were on the march, representing over 1% of the entire UK population. Demonstrators came from all backgrounds, age groups and parts of the UK and large numbers had not taken part in a public demonstration before.
Mole Valley Liberal Democrats have reacted with dismay to reports Gatwick Airport might convert their emergency runway into a second runway, bypassing controls on airport expansion when a restriction runs out next year. Parliamentary Spokesperson Paul Kennedy has called on Secretary of State Chris Grayling MP to intervene to ensure the change is not slipped in by the back door.
At the October meeting of Mole Valley District Council, Tory councillors and their "Independent" allies combined to defeat a Liberal Democrat motion for the Council to support a "People's Vote" which would allow the public to have the final say on the terms of any Brexit deal. Mole Valley was one of the areas where the majority of voters supported Remain in the 2016 referendum and this year many local residents have expressed their support for a further vote on the terms of the deal.
At the Council meeting on 9th October, Mole Valley District Councillors passed a motion by Lib Dem Councillor Margaret Cooksey proposing two initiatives relating to the site at Headley Court, where the Ministry of Defence is rapidly winding down the operation of the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre.
There was a packed venue in Newdigate as local residents turned out on 3rd October to listen to a talk about the recent "swarm" of earthquakes in Surrey. The talk was given by Dt Richard Luckett from the British Geological Society (BGS) and had been organised by local LibDem campaigner, Lesley Bushnell. Lesley reports:
Last night Chris was on Ian Dale’s LBC show talking about the national crisis in special needs provision and what a better special needs education system might look like.
Chris Coghlan MP for Dorking & Horley interviewed September 20th on BBC Radio Surrey about the ongoing works in Dorking's West Street.
Chris Coghlan, MP for Dorking & Horley, and Hazel Watson, County Councillor, visited the site of the sinkhole in Dorking’s West Street, and are keeping up the pressure on Thames Water to fix the issue.
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