To ‘Enhance, Enrich and Enable’ will be the aims/hallmarks of Surrey’s Conservative administration (24th June)

Speaking at today’s Annual Meeting of the Council the newly elected Leader of the Council, Dr. Andrew Povey, set out his vision for the next four years.

Having been formally elected as Leader Dr. Povey outlined a programme that included bursaries for social care students, more powers for local committees and individual councillors, a promise of a review of the County’s waste management strategy and a joint project with Surrey Police to tackle speeding.

“We have listened to what the people of Surrey want, and their priorities are our priorities. They told us they wanted to see speeding tackled because it is a road safety issue and it is an example of anti-social behaviour. They told us that they wanted us to deal with the problems in social services. They told us they wanted their local councillors to be able to have a greater say on matters in their local areas. They also told us that they wanted the Green Belt protected. They also told us they wanted to see value for money.

We are responding to all those concerns and more.

We are investing £1m in projects to tackle speeding in conjunction with Surrey Police. We want to work with the Police to encourage motorists to slow down and make our roads safer for our residents.

We are creating 50 bursaries for university students studying social care to try to attract the best and the brightest students to work for Surrey County Council. They will be offered vacation work and we are determined to make sure that Surrey is an authority where social workers will choose to work for above others.

We are giving more powers to local members over matters affecting their Divisions. They will, as Local Committees, approve the Youth Plan. They will be consulted over HGV operator licenses. They will have more say over the work of the Community Gangs.

I am also, as Leader, reserving for myself the final say over all decisions surrounding development in the Greenbelt and areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. I want to ensure that Surrey’s green spaces are protected.

Finally, I am also announcing a root and branch review of our spending to ensure that we are getting Best Value for Money and I am also reserving to myself the power to decide on the need to employ officers on over £100,000 per year or on consultants who would cost us over £100,000 per year (pro rata).

This is a wide range of initiatives designed to tackle the public’s priorities and to ensure that they are getting the best value for money. Surrey County Council exists to serve the residents of Surrey and our aim is that in four years time the public will look at our record and be proud of what we have achieved on their behalf”.