The Surrey Police and Crime Commission social media team were made to remove a graphic from Twitter, now X and Facebook after a complaint it could influence the May 2 elections.

The post was made during the run up to the election when public bodies are supposed to remain completely impartial to avoid favouring any one candidate or using taxpayer money to look to influence voters.

The message said it had re-opened funding for local services that promote community safety, support children and young people and help reduce reoffending in Surrey. It was accompanied by an image that showed more than £2m had been provided to support local services in the last financial year.

The complainant, the Liberal Democrat Councillor for Bagshot and North Windlesham Richard Wilson, felt this was a breach of  pre-election publicity rules.

Writing to the Monitoring Officer, he said: “Any reasonable person would conclude that the post, in particular its use of the graphics, is likely to improve the electorate’s opinion of the incumbent PCC ( Police and Crime Commissioner). This constitutes a breach of the guidance and, therefore, of the rules laid out in the Acts. 

“It would be possible to direct readers to the funding website without publicising the £2m which has already been provided. This piece of information is wholly unnecessary and its purpose is clearly to promote the PCC. This is a use of public resources to influence an election.”

After receiving the complaint, Alison Bolton, chief executive and monitoring officer of the Police and Crime Commission, told the communication team to delete the images but felt the text was fine to be republished –  and did not merit an apology.

Media policies had been reviewed ahead of the pre-election period and the use of social media and their website has been “significantly” limited, she added.

The posts were scheduled, she said, as the funding process opened on April 1 and they wanted to give organisations the greatest amount of time possible to apply. She said: “Your view that the posts are “likely to improve the electorate’s opinion of the incumbent PCC” is arguably a subjective one. I can assure you that the posts were made in good faith by comms colleagues with the intention of promoting a funding opportunity and not, as you suggest, to “promote the PCC. “We had purposefully not made reference to the incumbent PCC or included any images of her.

“That said, I recognise that the aim of promoting the funds could have been achieved with a simpler post and as such, I have asked my colleagues to remove the posts that include the ‘graphic’.  We will re-issue the link, but I don’t believe that issuing an apology is necessary.”

A spokesperson for the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner said it restricted its output to some “business-as-usual work” in line with pre-election guidelines.

They said: “On April 3, the Communications Team posted a message on social media highlighting the process for which organisations and services can apply to our funding streams which opened for the new financial year two days earlier on April 1.

“These streams provide vital support for some of the most vulnerable people in our communities including victims of crime, young people and domestic abuse survivors as well as funding important projects that enhance community safety across Surrey. 

“Allocating these funds and commissioning these important services is a significant role that the OPCC undertakes and we wanted to give local organisations the greatest amount of time possible to apply. The message posted did not name or reference the current PCC or contain any image of her. However the message did have an accompanying graphic which highlighted the amount of funding the office had provided to support local services during the last financial year.

“The post was created in good faith with the intention of promoting the funding opportunity and was not designed to promote the current Commissioner. However upon review by the OPCC Monitoring Officer, the decision was taken to remove the graphic and replace it with one that had removed the reference to the amount of funding given last year to avoid any inference during the pre-election period. 

“The current commissioner was not aware and did not have any involvement in the creation of the original message.”

The elections for the Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner take place countywide on Thursday May 2. Counting takes place the following day with the results expected around 2pm.

The vote takes place across Surrey with the count taking place the following day with the result expected to be announced between 3pm and 4pm.

Related reports:

Surrey’s next Police and Crime Commissioner will be?

Epsom and Ewell candidates dominate Police Commissioner election

Surrey Police funding: not a fair cop

The Cost of Surrey’s Crime Commissioner: “It’s criminal”?

New boundaries are being proposed for council divisions in Surrey County Council including in Epsom and Ewell.

The Local Government Boundary Commission wants to hear what residents and local organisations think about the proposals. A ten-week consultation on the proposals will run until 16 October 2023.

The Commission is the independent body that draws these boundaries. It is reviewing Surrey to make sure councillors will represent about the same number of electors, and that division arrangements will help the council work effectively.

The Commission has published proposals for changes to Surrey. It is proposing that there should be 81 single-councillor divisions.

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In respect of Epsom and Ewell the Commission reports:

“Epsom & Ewell has been allocated five councillors, each councillor representing on average 6% more electors than the county average.

We received two proposals for this borough, from the Council, who proposed a minimal level of change from the existing division arrangements, and from the Epsom & Ewell Constituency Labour Party. The proposal from the local Labour Party, while offering helpful information about deprivation levels throughout the borough, and proposing 100% coterminosity, offered poor levels of electoral equality for several divisions, including 12% fewer electors than average in Town division, and 21% more electors than average in Epsom Common & Downs.

Epsom Town & Downs, Epsom West and West Ewell

We have adopted the Council’s proposals for these divisions. The Labour proposal, which kept entire wards within single divisions throughout the borough, placed Stamford ward within a southern division, proposed to be called Epsom Common & Downs, resulting in very poor electoral inequality for this ward. In contrast, the Council’s proposal, while splitting wards, offered good electoral equality, and used the strong boundary of the railway line through the centre of Epsom Town.

The only proposed change from the existing divisions we are making is to unify Horton ward within Epsom West division, placing electors on Oakwood Avenue, McKenzie Way and neighbouring streets in Epsom West division. This was proposed by the Council, and both improves coterminosity, and ensures that these electors are not isolated within West Ewell division as they are at present, and we have adopted it as part of our draft recommendations. The remaining boundaries of West Ewell division, including the borough wards of Ruxley, West Ewell and the northern section of Court ward, are unchanged from the existing arrangements.

Ewell and Ewell Court, Auriol & Cuddington

Both proposals received suggested identical boundaries for these divisions, which we have adopted as part of our draft recommendations. There was a disagreement over the name of Ewell division, with the Labour proposal suggesting retaining the existing name, while the Council proposal suggested replicating the names of the constituent borough wards, and naming this division as Stoneleigh, Ewell Village & Nonsuch.

We considered this proposed name change carefully but, while retaining an open mind, have not included it as part of our draft recommendations. While we note that the northernmost division (Ewell Court, Auriol & Cuddington) has a name comprising the three wards constituting the division, we note that we are proposing to retain the existing boundaries for Ewell division, and that it may cause confusion for electors if the name of the division is changed but the boundaries remain unchanged. The Council did not provide significant evidence in favour of its proposed name, and we would welcome further evidence from residents and other interested parties as to whether a different name might better reflect the communities in this area.

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Launching the consultation Professor Colin Mellors, Chair of the Commission, said: “We want people in Surrey to help us.

“We have drawn up proposals for new divisions in Surrey. We want to make sure these new electoral arrangements reflect communities. We also want them to be easy to understand and convenient for local people. Residents and local organisations can help us do that. We would like them to let us know whether they agree with our proposals before we take final decisions.

“It’s easy to get involved. Go to our website. Or you can e-mail or write to us. Just tell us what you think and give us some details why you think that. It’s really simple, so do get involved.”

The Commission has a dedicated section on its website where people can see the detail of the proposals and comment on the names of divisions and their boundaries: https://www.lgbce.org.uk/all-reviews/surrey.

People can also give their views by e-mail at reviews@lgbce.org.uk, and by post:

Review Officer (Surrey) LGBCE, PO Box 133 Blyth NE24 9FE

This consultation relates to arrangements for local government elections. It is separate from the review of parliamentary constituencies that has recently concluded.

An interactive map is available at https://www.lgbce.org.uk/all-reviews/surrey

The Local Government Boundary Commission for England is an independent body accountable to Parliament. It recommends fair electoral and boundary arrangements for local authorities in England. In doing so, it aims to:

• Make sure that, within an authority, each councillor represents a similar number of electors
• Create boundaries that are appropriate, and reflect community ties and identities
• Deliver reviews informed by local needs, views and circumstances
• Reflect the request for single-member divisions

All the results are in and the Residents’ Associations, as expected, retain control of the Borough Council. The Liberal Democrats gained two seats by winning all three seats in College Ward. With the retirement of LibDem David Gulland the Party’s group leader Julie Morris is joined by new LibDem Councillors James Lawrence and Julian Freeman. The third slot gained at the expense of the sitting Councillor Nigel Collin of the RA. The other LibDem gain was top of the poll in Stamford, Alison Kelly.

Bernie Muir of the Conservatives had represented Stamford Ward but chanced her arm in the newly created ward of Horton and topped the poll. She and her Conservative colleague Kieran Persand beat long-serving and senior RA Councillor and former Mayor Eber Kington and new RA arrival Henal Ladwa.

Mr Kington had surrendered a safe seat in Ewell Court Ward to contest the new Horton Ward, where he lives. This defeat was despite Mr Kington recently leading a popular motion to pause the progress of the Draft Local Plan, to see what the Government is up to exactly with central housing targets.

The Residents’ Associations won 26 seats. Liberal Democrats 4. Labour 3 and Conservatives 2.

However, the share of the total Borough vote shows the Conservatives (20%) having a greater share than the Liberal Democrats (17%) and Labour (15%). The Greens, who fought a few wards, failed to cross the line and have no Councillors.

The turnout of 19867 votes compares favourably with the 2019 turnout of 19051 and perhaps shows that fears of a downturn in turnout because of the new requirement for photo ID being presented at polling stations has not been made out.

Related Reports:

Epsom and Ewell Borough Council Election Results 2023

Conservatives, Labour and Residents Associations battled out their political differences at the hustings Tuesday. Held at local Southfield Park Primary School. Candidates for the new ward of Horton each presented themselves for 3 minutes and then opened to questions. The audience may or may not have contained any genuine floating voters. It was difficult to tell.

Mark Todd and Ros Gordon opened proceedings for Labour, followed by Henal Ladwa and Eber Kington for the Residents’ Associations. Kieran Persand and Bernie Muir rounded off for the Conservatives.

The Liberal Democrat candidates did not attend.

The candidates were united in their opposition to the development of Green Belt in Epsom and Ewell, especially on Horton Farm. However, there were differences as to who should get credit for initiating the pause to the progress of the draft Local Plan. Bernie Muir (Conservative) claimed to have written to every other Councillor advising a pause was necessary. Eber Kington (RA) disclosed that he had been pressing for this earlier in emails to fellow RA Councillors and Council officers. It was Cllr Kington who tabled an emergency motion to pause the Local Plan.

A member of the audience highlighted the recent announcement of Sir Keir Starmer Leader of the Labour Party that Labour would reinstate targets and fight nimbyism. Albeit, giving the housing targets to local government to determine.

Mr Kington attacked Labour’s expansion of the ULEZ zone to the London borders of Epsom and Ewell but Mark Todd made no apology for this and maintained it was necessary to protect the health of children.

There were some moments of tension and friction but all the candidates were warmly applauded for the courage of their standing for election and for allowing the public an opportunity to scrutinise them.

The hustings was organised by Epsom and Ewell Times and we thank all the candidates for participating.

Photo credit: Steven McCormick Photography

Left to right: Ros Gordon, Mark Todd, Bernie Muir, Kieran Persand, (Lionel Blackman – Chair), Henal Ladwa and Eber Kington.

Thursday, May 4th, is election day in all of Surrey’s 11 boroughs and districts. This means voters in Elmbridge, Epsom and Ewell, Guildford, Mole Valley, Reigate and Banstead, Runnymede, Spelthorne, Surrey Heath, Tandridge, Waverley, and Woking will be going to the polls.

These are the councils that decide planning matters, housing, and bin collections. With a year to go until the next general election this could serve as an indication of the national mood towards the current government.

As ever, voters will have plenty of questions about the rules and what needs to be taken to polling stations – even more so in the light of recent changes to voter ID requirements.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service  answers some of the most common questions so voters can be are armed with everything they need to know as they head to their polling stations between 7am and 10pm.

Changes to voter ID rules – Bring ID

These local elections will be the first where all voters need photo ID in order to cast their ballot. Forms of ID accepted at polling stations will include a driving licence, passport, Blue Badge, Oyster 60+ Card, Older Person’s Bus Pass and more. Equivalent travel cards for young people, such as the Oyster 18+ card, will not be accepted forms of ID.

Expired ID, for example an out-of-date passport, is allowed so long as the photograph still bears a strong resemblance. 

The full list is HERE

Where do I go to vote?

Vote at the polling station listed on your polling card. Your poll card is for information only, you do not need to bring it with you to vote. If you do not know where your card is, you can always check your polling station location by entering your postcode here.

Ballot papers

Your ballot paper will list out all the candidates and parties you can vote for.  You may be given more than one ballot paper, particularly if there is a parish council election happening in your area on the same day. Take your ballot into a polling booth, so no one can see how you vote. Read it carefully as it will tell you how to cast your vote. Mark your paper according to your own wishes,  fold it in half and put it in the ballot box.

What time do polling stations shut?

Polling stations always open at 7am and close at 10pm. If you want to avoid a queue it’s best to head down during the workday or in the evening as it tends to be the busiest first thing in the morning, before school run, and around 5pm-6pm after work. People who are in the queue before closing time are still allowed to vote, regardless of whether you are inside or outside the building.

Can I take my own pen to vote in the 2023 Local Elections?

There is nothing in the legislation that says ballot papers must be marked with a pencil. Pencils are provided in polling stations but you can choose to take a pen with you. There is a risk ink may transfer onto the other side of the ballot paper when folded, and if it looks like the voter has chosen more than one candidate, it could potentially lead to their vote being rejected. Some people prefer to use a pen in case someone erases their cross and adds one elsewhere.

Can I take a selfie when I vote?

Although not against the law to take a selfie at a polling station, it is strongly discouraged in or near a voting booth. Anyone who reveals  how someone else voted, even without meaning to, could be fined £5,000 or get sent to prison for six months. Voting is supposed to be secret and it’s illegal to share a photo of a ballot paper – including your own – under Section 66 of the Representation of the People Act 1983.

Can I bring my dog?

Please do! Pictures of dogs at polling stations are one of the highlights of any election.

Exclusive to the Epsom and Ewell Times we have brought you statements from each Party standing for election to the local council this Thursday 4th May. We conclude today with the ruling Residents Associations.

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The Residents’ Association (RA) is independent and not a political party. Rather it is a group of individuals who live in the Borough and are passionate about keeping party politics and rhetoric out of local government decision making. At a time when national politics is in disarray, it is more important than ever that our residents have independent representation.

Photo: RA candidates clockwise from top-left: McCormick, Frost and Froud – Woodcote and Langley Vale; Beckett and Talbot – Auriol; Kington and Ladwa – Horton; Dalton – Stoneleigh; Day, Brooks and Collin – College. “Say Her Name” is from the “Reclaim These Streets” march that Cllr Dalton organised following the rape of a female jogger in Nonsuch Park.

Why RA?

RA candidates stand out from their national political party counterparts; manifestos are written by the candidate using their understanding and insight of the issues which are important to residents. Manifestos are factual, demonstrating a track record of delivery, the commitment to continue to work hard and do our best for our residents. This is in sharp contrast to some of the disappointing negative and baseless campaign messages we see elsewhere.

The Local Plan
As a local authority council, we face many challenges because of central government planning policy to build houses and the data used to set housing numbers. We have listened to our residents and their concerns in response to the recent draft Local Plan consultation (Regulation 18), and we will continue to consult with you and listen, as well as lobby Westminster on new national planning policy and legislation.

Government funding
The outcome of central government’s Fairer Funding Review from 2016 remains outstanding as does the outcome of their National Waste Strategy. These combined with the continued one-year government funding arrangements creates uncertainty around our longer-term funding. At a time when many local authorities are facing significant financial pressures, Epsom and Ewell BC under an RA led administration continues to have strong financial management and deliver best value for our residents. This is in sharp comparison to other politically led councils in Surrey and further afield.

The Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ)
The London Mayor’s decision to expand ULEZ is going to impact many of our residents and businesses negatively. RA councillors will continue to work with other effected Councils to oppose these plans.

RA track record of delivery
As an RA led council, Epsom and Ewell BC has a long track record of working for you. In the last four years we have delivered:

o A wide range of Council services across the Borough, despite retaining only 10% of council tax.
o Support to the community during COVID, including the timely distribution of grants to local businesses.
o A Youth Skills hub that has helped hundreds of young people find work, training and education.
o Electric vehicle charging points in Council run car parks as part of our Climate Change Action Plan.
o A reduction in our homelessness numbers.
o Safer Streets and CCTV in Epsom Town Centre.

The next 4 years
We will:
o Continue to listen to you and represent you.
o Keep our Borough safe and secure.
o Improve the health and wellbeing of our communities with a focus on those who are more vulnerable.
o Work with partners so that the Borough is a place where people want to live, work and visit.
o Enhance the borough’s natural assets, preserving and increasing biodiversity.
o Work to meet our ambitious target of becoming Carbon Neutral by 2035.
o Promote our rich history and heritage with further events and activities.
o Keep national party politics out of local decision making.

I hope that you will vote for your RA candidates on May 4th and continue to see the benefits that an independently led council has on delivering for you through keeping national party politics out of the decisions which impact you.

Cllr Hannah Dalton
Chair, Residents’ Association Majority Group

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Ed: The Residents’ Associations are fielding candidates in all 14 wards in the Borough

Related reports:

Why vote Green in Epsom and Ewell?

Why vote Labour in Epsom and Ewell?

Why vote Liberal Democrat in Epsom and Ewell?

Why vote Conservative in Epsom and Ewell?

Epsom and Ewell Times 4th May Local Election coverage

Exclusive to the Epsom and Ewell Times we are bringing you statements from each Party standing for election to the local council this Thursday 4th May. We continue today with the Conservative Party.

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This set of local elections in Epsom & Ewell are the most important for a generation. On Thursday 8th May your vote will shape the future landscape of our town for years to come. Never has your decision at the ballot box for a council election needed to be so carefully considered, it’s a big responsibility and that is why you must vote for the candidates with professional experience, vote for the candidates who have already proved themselves in your neighbourhood, vote for your Conservative candidates.

Top image: Conservative Candidates Bernie Muir and Kieran Persand (Horton) and Michael Ware (College)

The Resident’s Association has controlled the Borough Council for an astonishing 87 years! Democracy dictates that good governance needs robust opposition to scrutinise and hold to account, unfettered power invariably leads to poor outcomes. Sadly, for our town, this flaw in our council has been dramatically demonstrated in the disastrous local plan put forward by the RA this year.

The stuttering and stumbling journey the RA controlled council took to arrive at the decision to tear up 137 acres of green belt and disregard all our brownfield sites is almost more shocking than the plan itself. A consultation that reeked of laziness and narrowmindedness. Town planning consultants employed who freely admitted they had no local knowledge and offered to do the work on the cheap. A process that neglected to even review Epsom’s historic conservation areas rules. A professionally designed alternative plan commissioned by Conservative MP, Chris Grayling, to redevelop brownfield disregarded with a ‘can’t be bothered’ attitude. Stark warnings not to build on areas vulnerable to flooding ignored. The complacency of 87 years means our town is being put at risk by a plan for our future that 10,000 people of Epsom have already rejected.

The plan has been paused but be in no doubt this has been done because as RA Councillor Alex Coley admitted when asked why the local plan had taken so long at a public meeting in March, “we are terrified of you lot!” In other words, terrified of losing their cosy seats! The danger is that, if when the election is over, the status quo is restored, the RA’s fiefdom is re-established the catastrophic plan will be ploughed ahead with.

The only way to stop this is if there is a strong and effective opposition and the only opposition that is strong and effective is a Conservative opposition. Your Conservative borough Councillor, Bernie Muir has done more alone to hold the RA to account and speak up for residents than all other opposition Councillors put together. She has worked across the whole borough, not just in her own ward. Bernie has also built a team of volunteers and activists to help her fight the decisions the RA council have been making in your name. Those volunteers and activists are now your Conservatives candidates.

Michael Ware in College who worked tirelessly on the shambles of the Chalk Pit expansion while Lib Dem College Councillor Julie Morris said nothing and did nothing as thick dust was falling on our cars and washing. Stephen Pontin in Stamford an experienced councillor who campaigned alongside Bernie to successfully save the Wells Community Centre while the Lib Dems ignored the issue. Kieran Persand who ran surveys and petitions in Horton to inform locals about flooding worries and anti-social driving in Horton Lane while Labour and the Lib Dems ignored Horton until it became a ward on the electoral map. And never forget Labour and the Lib Dems will not oppose ULEZ while the Conservatives are leading the fight against Sadiq Khan and his tax on Surrey’s drivers.

Our team are professional people, lawyers, engineers, accountants, schoolteachers, who all bring their expertise from their lives to bear on council issues. They will be councillors of calibre, councillors who will scrutinise, councillors who will get things done.

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Ed: The Conservatives are fielding candidates in all 14 wards in the Borough

Related reports:

Why vote Green in Epsom and Ewell?

Why vote Labour in Epsom and Ewell?

Why vote Liberal Democrat in Epsom and Ewell?

Epsom and Ewell Times 4th May Local Election coverage

Exclusive to the Epsom and Ewell Times we are bringing you statements from each Party standing for election to the local council this Thursday 4th May. We continue today with the Liberal Democrat Party.

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We welcome this initiative by the Epsom & Ewell Times to set out reasons why residents should support the local Liberal Democrats. We explain our priorities for the Borough, how these arise from our values as LibDems, and why your vote for us is so important.

Our priorities for Epsom & Ewell As active local residents of the Borough our three main priorities are:

1 – Producing a sound Local Plan

Our number one priority is to make sure the eventual Local Plan not just protects the Green Belt but includes stringent conditions around bio-diversity and energy efficiency within its Policies. In addition, we want to see the Council build social housing, not just so-called “affordable housing” which does not meet the real need.

You can read a summary of our response to the Council’s Regulation 18 draft Local Plan at this link which also provides a link to our full response on all 50 questions set out in the consultation. As far as we are aware we are the only local party that submitted such a detailed response.

Our councillors would work hard to get as many of our suggestions as possible included within the next version of the Local Plan.

2 – Getting serious about the climate emergency

The Council has a Climate Change Action Plan but too little is being done to cut our own emissions and to encourage local businesses and residents to take steps to tackle the issue. Our councillors would continue to put pressure on the Council to make sure that the Climate Emergency was embedded in all decision making, and to have quantitative targets to reduce our emissions over the next 4 years.

3 – Increase local democracy and transparency

There have been too many cases in the last four years of decisions being taken behind closed doors and of important information not being shared with all Councillors, let alone residents. Two examples of these issues were a decision taken in private to investigate opening a Pet Crematorium in the borough, and not sharing the critical findings of the Local Government Ombudsman with all Councillors, as should have happened under the Council’s own constitution.

We want residents to be aware of what is happening at the Council, so informed debate can
take place. Your LibDem Councillors would work to achieve this.

What is a Liberal Democrat?

All our candidates are members of the Liberal Democrat party. This means they agree with the fundamental aims of our constitution which includes in its preamble: “The Liberal Democrats exist to build and safeguard a fair, free and open society, in which we seek to balance the fundamental values of liberty, equality and community, and in which no-one shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity. We believe that each generation is responsible for the fate of our planet and, by safeguarding the balance of nature and the environment, for the long term continuity of life in all its forms. … We believe that the role of the state is to enable all citizens to attain these ideals, to contribute fully to their communities and to take part in the decisions which affect their lives.”

The full document can be read here https://www.libdems.org.uk/federal-constitution.

It is these fundamental goals that motivate our candidates and influence their decisions as councillors. You can see how the key priorities set out previously derive from these goals and if any new issues emerge for the Borough over the next four years you will know the values and principles that will influence our decisions on those issues.

Why should you vote LibDem?

In summary, for three reasons:

1 – To hold the lethargic Residents Association (RA) to account. Democracy needs openness
and debate, and the RA seems intent on stifling both.

2 – So you know who you are voting for. The RA make a big deal of being local residents. So are we. You also know what our values and principles are. The RA include a mixed bag of individuals and at times they don’t seem to be able to agree on what they want to achieve.

3 – To help protect the more vulnerable in our community, and to tackle the Climate Emergency.

You can read more about our priorities and candidates on our Facebook site here

David Gulland – Chair of Epsom & Ewell Liberal Democrats and Julie Morris – Leader of the Liberal Democrats Councillor Group in Epsom & Ewell

_{Top image: Julie Morris, Julian Freeman and James Lawrence LibDem candidates for College Ward Epsom}

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Ed: The Liberal Democrats are fielding candidates in all 14 wards in the Borough

Related reports:

Why vote Green in Epsom and Ewell?

Why vote Labour in Epsom and Ewell?

Epsom and Ewell Times 4th May Local Election coverage

Exclusive to the Epsom and Ewell Times we are bringing you statements from each Party standing for election to the local council this Thursday 4th May. We continue today with the Labour Party.

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Vote Labour on May 4th for a fairer, greener, safer Borough. Your Labour candidates are determined to do all they can for the residents of Epsom and Ewell. The Tories have broken the economy and working people are paying the price. People are struggling to pay their bills. The cost of gas and electricity, the cost of essential food and our rents and mortgages have all gone up, but pay rates are stagnating. It shouldn’t be like this.

Top photo:  Chris, Rob, Sarah, Kate and Mark out in Town Ward hearing from people on the doorstep about the need to make Epsom safer.

The Epsom and Ewell Residents’ Association, who control the council, are out of their depth in the face of the problems created by the Conservative Government. They don’t have the experience, knowledge or resources to support their residents whilst public services crumble around us. So many things need fixing: – the cuts to social housing and social care that have had a devastating effect; services for young people and police numbers that have all been cut; the pot holes that are dangerous for cyclists and damage cars which continue to deteriorate. Our own chalk stream, The Hogsmill, is being polluted with sewage and it was your Labour team that met with Thames Water to challenge this Only a Labour Government and Labour councils can rebuild the economy and address the problems we face.

Both nationally and locally, Labour is ambitious and determined to help communities grow and prosper. Labour will freeze council tax, cut energy bills by insulating homes and work to generate cheap home grown electricity.

Our priorities for Epsom and Ewell are:
 a safer borough – with more visible police back on the beat.
 a fairer borough – with homes that local people and key workers can afford to settle in.
 a greener borough – with more trees and we’ll continue to protect our precious green belt.
 a cleaner borough – with robust action on fly tipping and increased fines for littering to pay for more street cleaning. The Labour Team will continue to lead regular litter picks.

and we will crack down on town hall waste, with no more expensive, unnecessary consultants.

The Epsom and Ewell Labour Party know that proactive Labour councils can provide solutions. Labour councils improve areas by investing in their communities.

To provide homes for their residents Camden Council have approved the building of new social and living rent homes on under-utilised council land, delivering: 44 new social rent homes for families on the waiting list, 23 living rent homes for key workers and 6 supported living homes. All of these homes to be built to the highest standards of design and sustainability.

In Norwich, Goldsmith Street is an award winning 100% social housing development of 93 Passivhaus homes built in a traditional street pattern. The homes provide a high level of occupant comfort using very little energy for heating and cooling. 

For a cleaner borough – Lewisham have worked to reduce fly tipping by enforcement, quickly removing it and engaging with the community to reduce the huge costs. In Epsom and Ewell we would provide free skips for different wards on a rotational basis supporting people to dispose of their unwanted larger items responsibly.

There are many good practice models of providing public transport and homes, tackling anti-social behaviour and working with communities to improve the lives of residents.

The borough of Epsom and Ewell is a great place with great people. Only Labour has a plan for a fairer, greener more dynamic economy that will deliver better jobs and raise living standards for residents.

We are on your side.

So, Vote Labour on May 4th and let’s build a better borough together.

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Ed: Labour are fielding candidates in all 14 wards in the Borough

Related reports:

Why vote Green in Epsom and Ewell?

Epsom and Ewell Times 4th May Local Election coverage

Exclusive to the Epsom and Ewell Times we are bringing you statements from each Party standing for election to the local council this Thursday 4th May. We start today with the Green Party.

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Vote Green to beat the housing crisis and ensure that the Green Belt and other treasured green
spaces are protected. Vote Green for a council that stands up to Whitehall’s wild housing demands,
turns away speculative developers and expensive consultancies. A Green focus opts for low-carbon,
preferably Passivhaus standards to provide social housing that people can afford to rent and buy in
the places people need them. Vote for Green answers to providing adequate community
infrastructure – surgeries, cycling and walking networks, nurseries and schools, vibrant youth
centres and care services.

Vote Green to alleviate the cost of living crisis with a freeze on rent rises, a ban on no-fault evictions,
free school meals and 35 hours free childcare from 9 months old. We support £1 fares on local bus
routes, subsidised insulation schemes, housing – not hotels – for the homeless and refugees.
Vote Green to view a successful economy as one that provides a sustainable and fair society for all.

Janice Baker – Green Party candidate for Nonsuch Ward.

Photo: Janice Baker and Andrew Bailey – Green Party candidates showing willing for the hustings.

Ed: The Green Party are fielding candidates in the following wards: Ewell Village, Nonsuch, Ruxley, Stamford, Town, West Ewell, Woodcote and Langley Vale.

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