What do you need your Borough Councillor for?
Most people never need to contact their local councillors, but when:
● the road needs a good clean or the weeds and leaves removed
● your children need attractive places to play that are safe
● the bins don’t get emptied or left miles down the street
● you can’t park near your home because of commuters
● neighbours from hell play loud music late every night
● graffiti and rubbish are spoiling your neighbourhood
● dogs keep fouling the pavements near your home
● you have a problem with a Planning Application
● your car gets a ticket you didn’t deserve
Town Ward Focus
Local News from Local Liberal Democrats
libdems.org.uk
surreylibdems.org.uk
epsom-ewell-libdems.org.uk
April 2015
Epsom & Ewell Borough Council Elections 7th May 2015
Liberal Democrat Candidates for Town Ward
that’s when you need someone who:
● can give sound helpful advice
● will listen, any day, any time, anywhere
● will speak to the authorities on your behalf
● gets things done
that’s when you’re glad you have Liberal Democrat councillors.
Town Ward has had Lib Dem councillors since 1991
Epsom & Ewell, a Borough with a unique Council
Residents Association councillors are proud to have run Epsom & Ewell Borough Council
throughout its entire 78 year history. It’s certainly a unique achievement – but why has
no-one else copied it?
A council with no Leader, no unifying political philosophy, sounds utopian but causes
timidity when bold plans are needed, a lack of decisiveness when a clear lead is required.
As a result, Epsom has to suffer having a trunk road running through its High Street.
Every scheme for a bypass has come to nothing. Lack of a bold vision when formulating
“Plan E” has now missed the opportunity to get the A24 out of the Market Square.
Hundreds of new homes have recently been built without adequate provision for parking,
due to a lack of determination in confronting officialdom and a lack of firmness in
handling developers. And whatever happened to the Town Centre improvements?
Over the last 16 years almost every step forward has originated from Liberal Democrat
opposition councillors: – public speaking on planning applications, public questions in
meetings of the other committees, reduced evening charges in car parks, better use of
car parks through season tickets, free weekend parking in the run up to Christmas,
short-stay free parking outside shops, coordinated street cleansing and repairs, higher
rates of recycling, Christmas lights in Epsom High Street and other shopping centres,
weekday markets, a town centre manager, residents parking schemes etc etc.
Meanwhile RA councillors closed public loos and charged blue badge holders for parking.
We need more Lib Dem councillors – they have better ideas!
Trevor Barker
Trevor Barker’s background is
business and media, where he
developed management skills in
a commercial environment.
His experience includes policy
formulation, strategic planning,
budgeting, financial control,
administration and organisation.
Trevor is a strong supporter of
Epsom hospital and will fight
tooth and nail to retain it. He
also wants to see more police
on Epsom’s streets.
A keen environmentalist, he is a
supporter of the plan to relieve
traffic pressure due to through
traffic in Epsom town centre.
His leisure activity is sailing.
Steve Dixon
Steve Dixon has lived in the
borough for over 25 years. His
actuarial consultancy employs
11 staff in the centre of Epsom
to provide support to smaller
insurers throughout the country.
A long-serving member of the
local Liberal Democrats, Steve
is particularly keen to ensure
local services are maintained in
a period of extended austerity,
and wants more done to help
local young people find housing
in the borough.
As a keen, if not very proficient,
cyclist Steve loves the green
spaces around Epsom and
would like to make sure pot
holes do not get any worse.
Charles Wood
Although born in Barbados,
Charles Wood has lived in
Epsom for over 30 years.
Charles has served previously
as a Town Ward councillor for
8 years from 2003 to 2011.
He has dealt with social
housing issues, graffiti, dogfouling, vandalism and antisocial behaviour.
Charles works as a Psychiatric
Nurse and is also an elected
Governor of an NHS Trust.
In his spare time he attends
church, sings in a choir, enjoys
horse racing, plays cricket and
supports the Epsom-Chantilly
town twinning association.
Published and promoted by Derek Harwood
on behalf of Trevor Barker, Steve Dixon and
Charles Wood (Liberal Democrats), all at 38
West Farm Close, Ashtead KT21 2LJ.
Printed by Bishops Printers, Walton Road,
Portsmouth PO6 1TR.
Liberal Democrat Manifesto for Epsom & Ewell 2015 – 2019
A Liberal Democrat Reality Check for 2015
Our Six Key Priorities
Ensure Proper Value for Money
Plan for the Future
Protect the Environment
Revive Epsom Town Centre
Safeguard Essential Services
Tackle Traffic and Parking
Liberal Democrats want to see:
w
w
w
w
w
w
w
Allotment sites readily available
Charging points for electric cars
Epsom & Ewell achieve ‘Fairtrade Town’ status
No HGVs or bulk transporters in residential areas
Parks, streets and railway embankments kept clean
Top recycling %age in Surrey, not one of the lowest
Use of recycled goods encouraged
Revive Epsom Town Centre
Printed by Bishops Printers, Walton
Road, Portsmouth PO6 1TR.
Published and promoted by Derek
Harwood on behalf of Epsom & Ewell
Liberal Democrat candidates, all at 38
West Farm Close, Ashtead KT21 2LJ.
Whoever is Prime Minister, times will be hard for Local Government
Central government budgets for councils have all been cut
In Epsom & Ewell the cash reserves have already been spent
Council services must now be provided using less money
Fresh thinking will be needed to balance the books
Protection of vital services will require imaginative changes
Council Tax has been frozen elsewhere, so why not here?
Protect the Environment
Liberal Democrats want to see:
w
w
w
w
w
A commercially independent Town Centre Manager
Effective action to help local small businesses
Epsom Market growing to become the best in Surrey
Off-street access for loading and unloading,
Parking available for staff and customers
Safeguard Essential Services
Ensure Proper Value for Money
Liberal Democrats want to see:
w Consultation on ‘tax cuts or service cuts’ before the council tax is set
w Council-owned venues like the Playhouse run at a profit, not a loss
w Local residents given full details of how their money has been spent
w No more pointless Town Hall expenditure on self-advertisement
w Overhead cost of maintaining traditional council buildings reduced
w Savings through partnership working and outsourcing administrative tasks
Liberal Democrats want to see:
w Epsom Hospital retained with the full range of acute services
w Improved transport and facilities for older people
w Local buses in the evenings and at weekends
w More affordable houses and flats to buy or rent
w New doctor’s surgeries, dentists and pharmacies
w Team-work with Police, Ambulance and Fire Service
Tackle Traffic and Parking
Plan for the Future
Liberal Democrats want to see:
w Everyone given their say on all plans that affect them
w Neighbourhood planning committees for local areas
w Preparations for the impact of Crossrail 2 on commuter parking
w Public meetings to discuss major planning applications
w Sufficient primary school and secondary school places
w The green belt protected - houses built elsewhere
Liberal Democrats want to see:
w
w
w
w
w
w
w
Epsom market place free from through traffic
Epsom station included in Zone 6
Ewell village freed from through traffic
Improved parking enforcement to cut traffic delays
More safe routes for cyclists
Park & Ride scheme for commuters and shoppers
Residents' Parking in roads where residents want this
Working to make Epsom & Ewell an even better place to live and work