French authorities have been testing their software solution for a year; our's has not even been released
The Road Haulage Association (RHA) has written to the Cabinet Office minister, Michael Gove about the failure to prepare for the border changes which will happen on 1st January 2021.
The process of implementing with the Brexit changes have been described as a "complete shambles". After a meeting with a minister the chief executive of the RHA, Richard Burnett, said that he "walked away with no questions being answered again".
The new software system that hauliers will have to use has not yet been released with only limited details available. In contrast, the French authorities have been testing their arrangement for more than 12 months. In the letter, the RHA has warned that "there is insufficient time to prepare for a smooth transition, deal or not".
This is not about whether Brexit is a good idea or not, but it is a question of basic competence. More than four years after the referendum the Conservative government has completely failed to prepare properly.
Cllr Lawrence Nichols said "There is no way this abject failure can be laid at the door of the EU. It is a consequence of a shambles created by an incompetent Conservative government."
Sky news story Gove faces secrecy claims overhaulage 'shambles' is available here
We have all become more aware of the need for free school meals in the last few months, but child food poverty did not start with Covid19. Surrey Lib Dems have called on the Surrey County Council administration to take steps to address this growing problem across the county.
Surrey is a comparatively wealthy county, but this generalisation hides a number of uncomfortable truths about the level of poverty experienced by those living in some of its poorer areas. Some families are already struggling to put food on the table for children in a county where housing costs are four times less affordable than the national average and are amongst the highest in the country.
The highly publicised campaigns this year to extend the provision of Free School Meals to cover holiday periods has brought the issue to public attention. Even before the full economic impact of the pandemic is known, the number of children eligible for Free School Meals in Surrey was 15,115, an increase of 14.1% on the figure in 2019.
This number will undoubtedly rise in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic where the increase in the number of benefits' claimants (at July 2020) in Surrey has increased by 313% in 12 months. By August this year, the number of families on Universal Credit had risen in some boroughs and districts by more than 250% compared to the number in February 2020.
A motion* from the Lib Dem Group will be discussed at the Surrey County Council meeting on 08 December.
In proposing the motion Cllr Fiona White (County Councillor for Guildford West and Borough Councillor for Westborough) explained:
"The County Council needs to start taking steps now to help mitigate the impact of food poverty on our most vulnerable children. Last year Lib Dem councillors in Guildford led a cross-party review 5 into the extent of the problem in that borough and found that in three of its neighbourhoods, approx. 33% of children were already living in food poverty. The report also highlighted there were 25 neighbourhoods across Surrey that featured in the top third of the most deprived areas in England. Four of these are in Guildford and include my own ward of Westborough, so I am very aware from conversations with residents, the difficulties they are facing. The situation post pandemic will only get worse, so the County Council needs to start working on practical solutions now."
*Full wording of the motion:
Lib Dems call for County Council to end child hunger
"This Council recognises that child poverty, especially child food poverty, is a systemic problem, not a temporary one which can be solved with short term measures.
It further recognises that the key objective that no-one is left behind must start with our youngest children.
It recognises too that breakfast clubs and other on-site initiatives delivered through schools make a huge difference not just to pupil wellbeing but also to the quality of learning and other outcomes.
Accordingly, Council resolves to:
Encourage all schools to set up breakfast clubs by making a one-off capital allocation to those schools which require it to amend premises or equipment, to enable schools to make breakfast provision
Ask officers to produce a report on child poverty in Surrey, so Council can fully understand the impact and scale of the problem
Consider setting aside in the next revenue budget sums to enable an action plan falling out of that report which could meaningfully address the impact of child poverty on learning and wellbeing and
Lobby government to consider reforms to the welfare system which address the fundamental causes of child poverty, such as the failures of the Universal Credit system and the inadequacy of the minimum wage."
A direct result of Spelthorne's excessive borrowing
The Treasury has decided how Local Authorities will be allowed to borrow via cheap government loans in future, and it has made it very clear that borrowing purely for income will definitely not be allowed.
Spelthorne borrowed over £1bn from the PWLB (Public Works Loan Board) since 2016, with most of the money being invested in commercial property. This type of borrowing is now banned, with the response saying "The government is clear that this is not an appropriate use of PWLB loans".
On the floor of the House of Commons this afternoon, Lib Dem MP Tim Farron urged ministers to help small business owners and entrepreneurs who have so far been excluded from the Government's Coronavirus financial support schemes.
Speaking during today's debate in Parliament on Covid-19 restrictions, Tim said: "People who have been excluded from support include people who set up their own businesses 18 months ago, directors of very small limited companies, taxi drivers, hairdressers and the like.
"These are the entrepreneurs we need to build Britain back as we recover from the economic wreckage of the coronavirus.
"We should be investing in those people, not excluding them and leaving many of them in deep and dangerous debt."
Cllr Tom Fidler has been working with Spelthorne Council Officers and A2Dominion to resolve a number of local issues in Martingale Close. Residents have been working hard to maintain their road, but have been troubled by a few problems that required Councillor support.
London Liberal Democrats have selected Luisa for the 2021 election
In her first comments as the candidate, Luisa Porritt described London as at a "crucial moment" and said she would bring "big ideas and urgent action" to secure its future. Her ideas include putting "homes in the heart of the city" and reshaping London so that its "600 neighbourhoods" lead the recovery.
Luisa Porritt, who was born and raised in London, is Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Camden Council and was previously Deputy Leader of the party's MEPs.
Luisa Porritt, Lib Dem Candidate for Mayor of London, said:
"I love London - it's where I grew up and it has given me so much. But huge challenges, such as the affordability crisis and the impact of Covid-19, mean this is a crucial moment for London.
"The pandemic will change our city forever. We need big ideas and urgent action to rise to the challenge.
"I will show what a liberal London can be like - where the 600 neighbourhoods that make up our capital lead the way.
"From putting homes in the heart of the city to reinventing our high streets for the future, we can renew every area in London to become thriving, green, and affordable places to live and work.
"As a lifelong Londoner, I know our capital is resilient. With the right leadership, creativity and vision, we can reinvent our city for the better. If we bring London together, anything is possible."
Ed Davey, Lib Dem Leader, said:
"I'm delighted Luisa Porritt has been selected as our candidate for Mayor of London. The capital faces a pivotal moment as it seeks to plan its recovery from COVID-19 and Luisa has the energy and ideas we need to reshape London for the better.
"Having beat the Tories in Camden and winning London-wide in the European elections last year, Luisa knows how to defy the odds and win. As a fellow Londoner, I can't wait to get out there and support her to defy the odds again."
Please also contact your Spelthorne and/or Surrey councillor (see below)
We are aware that many local people have been affected by the smell, noise and light pollution from the gasifier at the Eco Park in Charlton Lane.
We are encouraging affected people to make a formal complaint to local authorities and the relevant government department. Here's the information you need. In most cases it will be a short phone call or a simple form. Please also contact your local councillor (see below)
An investigation by the Lib Dems has uncovered that 36,284 crimes were closed by Surrey Police last year without a suspect being identified.
Data from the Home Office reveals that Police in England and Wales abandoned 2.2 million crimes in 2019, including more than 300,000 burglaries in 2019 - with a third of forces closing more than 80% of cases before they were solved.
Surrey had one of the worst records on burglaries in the country. 5,395 cases were closed without a suspect being identified, 85% of the total number recorded - only just behind the worst force, the West Midlands Police, at 89%. Nationwide there were 68,848 stalking and harassment cases, 2,632 drug trafficking, and 4,637 weapon possession offences where no suspect was identified before the case was closed.
Screening out crimes, in which a Police force marks a case as requiring "no further action", has increased rapidly over the last decade and grew from 361,180 in 2010 to 2.2 million last year, equivalent to 43% of all crimes. The practice has become the default with some crimes. As well as burglaries, more than half of all criminal damage and arson cases end up resolved this way. Where something was stolen from a vehicle, police failed to identify a suspect in 93% of cases.
Paul Kennedy, Lib Dem candidate for Surrey's Police and Crime Commissioner, said:
"It is scandalous that we are seeing over two million crimes nationally and over 36,000 crimes locally closed without further investigation. It is imperative that the Police explore every avenue and act with compassion for the victims and their families when investigating these crimes."
"We are seeing crimes committed and reports filed, yet nothing happens for months, if at all, and the reports just gather dust in a Police filing system. All the while victims are longing for justice."
"At the moment millions of people are left without justice and rightly angry that criminals are getting away scot-free."
Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 inconsiderate parking on our pavements has become an issue with residents as more and more people are being asked to work from home.
When Liberal Democrat Cllr Richard Dunn contacted Spelthorne Borough and Surrey County Councils about the issue there was no clear-cut response. This issue had previously been brought to Spelthorne's Overview and Scrutiny Committee who responded by setting up a Task Group who have now reported their findings to Surrey County Council who are ultimately responsible for the Highways.
We now wait to see what action will be taken and will keep you informed of what develops.
Seen a problem in Staines South that Chris can sort out? Email him
The upkeep of the area surrounding Sweeps Ditch in Knightsbridge Crescent has always been a contentious one. The road is prone to flooding and therefore it is vitally important that the roadway and gullies are kept clear of vegetation.
