It’s one thing to engage in political debate, but parties should tell the truth!
You may have received Conservative party leaflets through your door with some statements and pledges. Let’s look at each of them in turn.
- “Collect ALL our bins”: waste services suffered from the nationwide HGV driver shortage. So that the priority collections of general waste, food and recycling could continue, garden waste was suspended. However, several collections were arranged over the last few months and, by working constructively with the contractor, Amey, and the other three councils in the joint waste management partnership, normal fortnightly collections will resume on 2 May.
- “Protect our Green Belt from the Liberal Democrats”: the Tories have continuously claimed that we are planning to build on the Green Belt – this is nonsense! Tory central government imposed a requirement for a Local Plan that built 647 homes a year for the next fifteen years. We resisted this and have just passed a Local Plan that challenges that figure by proposing 465 homes a year with no building on any Green Belt.
- “Free parking to boost local business”: parking charges are one of the few ways the Council can raise money without increasing Council Tax and compensates for the decrease in government funding to our council of 60% over the last twelve years. Free parking would necessitate a rise in council tax or a cut in vital services.
- “Electric vehicle charging points and help the environment”: some are already installed and more are planned for the current year, including in Churchfields car park, the Civic Centre and Drewitts Court in Walton..
- “Safer roads and communities for our children”: this is a Surrey County Council responsibility. SCC LibDems recently proposed introducing 20mph zones, particularly where there are schools, but the Tory-controlled council rejected this.
- “Better value for money and stop endless Lib Dem council tax rises”: the Conservatives have run Elmbridge for 9 of the last 14 years, so this is a fiction. The latest 2.2% rise in Elmbridge’s element approved by the LibDem/Resident administration contrasts with the 5% rise in Tory controlled Surrey’s element. As Elmbridge’s element is 11% of council tax, this is an increase of £5 for a Band D property compared to an increase of over £80 for the 75% share that goes to SCC.