News and action for TOWN & DOWNS FOCUS FROM YOUR LOCAL LIB DEM TEAM: David Gulland, Andre Kubicek, Julie Morri THE DEATH OF LOCAL DEMOCRACY? Epso an Ewell Council coul e a olishe un er Conservative govern ent plans Surrey Tories ‘power grab’ bid to run new Surrey-wide single authority The government is widely expected soon to announce plans for unitary authorities in many English counties, including Surrey. Conservative-controlled Surrey County Council (SCC) is already preparing a bid to become the unitary authority for the whole of Surrey, abolishing all 11 borough councils (only 2 of which have a Tory majority). “These changes will rip the But howcanoneCouncilfor1.2millionpeople heart out of local ecision really represent local communities? And is now a ing sa s ulie Morris even the time to be considering such a change, when local authorities are still reeling from the impact of COVID-19? The initial research has already cost SCC £71,000 and an even bigger sum has been agreed to support their ‘power grab’. The Lib Dems believe that the Conservative plan for one Council for all of Surrey will take power away from residents and does not put what is best for you and your local area frst. If you agree, read more and sign our petition at www.epsom-ewell-libdems.org.uk/ Govt set to snatch planning function As if this weren’t a big enough assault on our limited ability to challenge developers' plans. local democracy, the Conservative government The government’s proposals will deprive local published plans in August to take further people of the ability to defne the character of planning powers away from communities and the area they live in and know best, and will councils. Under the consultation document, it risk giving developers the freedom to ride is possible that local authorities will have very roughshod over our local area. Local Ac ion Global alue A DRE A D RE DE T FORCE CC CL M DO
Surrey County Council received some money from central government to make local “improvements” relating to the An re sa s “Than s to those pandemic, aimed at who signe the petition an encouraging social distancing showe that people power can and making it easier for reall wor pedestrians. SCC decided, without consultation, to close simply divert to residential roads in the Village Ewell High Street to all vehicular access except where there are multiple primary schools and for buses, cycles and emergency vehicles. small children about. FOCUS team member Andre Kubicek started The petition gained huge support, with over apetitionagainstthis,concernedthattrafc 2,000 signatures in just 5 days, and SCC that currently uses the High Street would cancelled its plans as a result. T O T E OM H GH TREET The same pot of money to SCC is behind a plan to turn one lane in High Street West into a pavement, possibly on a "temporary" basis, to encourage social distancing. As one of the remaining lanes will be reserved for bus stops, it will efectively reduce the road to one lane between TK Maxx and the old ost Ofce. Whether you approve or object to the scheme, please let SCC know your views at https://tinyurl.com/epsom-high-street
Most of the latest round T of parking restrictions are now in place. Julie was CO D FREE able to sort out some DL G wrong signage and there O E are still some gaps in the We have deliberately At the meeting of the full council in yellow lines (see photo), July, David Gulland proposed that the kept this FOCUS free of where the yellow liners COVID-related news and council should be able to clamp down have failed to fnd the on idling cars. material since such items space free to paint the are so uickly out of line! However, the esidents Association date. or our regular majority refused to debate David’s emails on COVID and motion and postponed discussion until other matters, please October. This was disappointing sign-up at considering the Climate Change https://epsom-ewell- Emergency that the council has libdems.org.uk/en/ previously suggested is their priority! subscribe-by-email Alternatively, email us at our Lib Dem councillors want Trafc college-focus@epsom- Wardens to be able to visit known ewell-libdems.org.uk areas where cars idle and to warn, and which will ensure that we potentially fne, the drivers who leave have your correct email their cars idling. address. R FLE TT ALLEY The silt trap in Rife Butts Alley,thetrack which runs from the top of Epsom Downs into Epsom, has been cleared. This should help alleviate the efects of future downpours. The alley is the responsibility of Surrey County Council but they have stated that they have no money available. David Gulland has therefore lodged a cross- party bid to resurface the upper end of the track, from Treadwell oad up to the Downs. The bid would use funds from the Community Infrastructure Levy fund (which contains the legal charges developers pay as part of planning permissions), so would not be using funds that could be used for front-line services. We will keep you posted.
Davi points out the poor state of the path “Man than s to all the resi ents who contacte e a out this issue he sa s