Liberal Democrats stand up for Surrey residents

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 26th Jul 2005

Liberal Democrat County Councillors have attempted to ensure that priorities important to Surrey residents are included in the Council's priorities for the next four years. The additional priorities proposed were:

· Provide more activities for young people

· Protect school budgets and invest in early support for pupils who need it

· Improve public transport to reduce traffic congestion

· Promote more affordable and key worker housing

· Dispose of residual waste in the most environmentally friendly way possible

· Increase support for carers

· Involve local people in the Council's decision-making process.

Hazel Watson (Dorking Hills) Leader of the Liberal Democrats on the County Council said: "The Conservative administration's plans need to be clearer and more specific. Important priorities are missing from the Conservative's plans."

Hazel Watson also called for the Conservative administration to provide costings for their priorities which were missing. She added: "This calls into question the extent to which the Conservative administration's plans have been thought through and are realistic and achievable."

She criticised the slow progress being made in making efficiency savings in administrative functions. She added: "I hope that the Conservative administration will not be considering cuts to front line services because of slow progress being make in making efficiency savings in administrative activities."

The Liberal Democrat proposals would not increase Council Tax. At the budget setting meeting in February, costed proposals for service improvements, with specified savings identified to fund them, were proposed by the Liberal Democrats but rejected by the Conservatives.