Surrey News

Surrey County Council’s IMT Group Manager Nick Roberts took part in a debate organised by the Guardian about how local authorities connect online. He highlighted a scheme to connect public services in Surrey and Berkshire.

Cabinet Member for Community Safety Kay Hammond was interviewed by BBC Surrey following the release of Sir Ken Knight’s review of fire services in England today. – Audio courtesy of BBC Surrey

People will be asked for their ideas on how to make it safer and easier to cycle, walk and drive around the Guildford gyratory, during a three day exhibition. Surrey County Council and Guildford Borough Council will be drafting a plan to improve Guildford’s busy town centre in a bid to nurture economic growth and … Continue reading »

A rallying cry has been sounded for people to support Surrey’s inclusion in Crossrail 2, which could have benefits across the South East. Mayor of London Boris Johnson today launched a consultation into the new cross London rail line, which could increase capacity on the South West Main Line by up to 40% at peak … Continue reading »

Bringing up a child can be a challenging task but as Foster Care Fortnight gets under way Graham and Pam Cribb reveal they have spent almost 40 years looking after 250 young people. The couple are currently fostering five children aged five to 11 for Surrey County Council. Father-of-three Graham said: “We love it when … Continue reading »

Mayor of London Boris Johnson today launched a consultation into plans for a new railway line spanning London called Crossrail 2. During an interview on BBC Surrey radio, Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment John Furey called for Surrey and the wider South East’s involvement in the project. You can listen to … Continue reading »

Pedal power is gaining popularity in Surrey as new figures reveal the percentage of people cycling on a monthly basis has increased. Department for Transport stats have shown that 20% of Surrey folk ride a bike at least once a month – busting the national average of 15%. Elmbridge boasts the highest percentage of people … Continue reading »

Surrey County Council has welcomed the formation of a national task force aimed at combating disruption and damage caused by utility company roadworks. The Local Government Association revealed it formed the group after research showed the problem has cost taxpayers almost half-a-billion pounds over the past two years – the equivalent of filling eight million … Continue reading »

Today’s Queen’s Speech was a shot in the arm for Surrey County Council according to leader David Hodge, who says the government’s vision matches his own in many ways. He said: “Last week the Surrey public gave us a vote of confidence for the work we’re doing and that was echoed when the government’s plans … Continue reading »

Ben Unsworth, Surrey County Council senior performance and research manager, has taken part in a debate organised by the Guardian about harnessing technology to improve social care services.

The votes have been counted in all 81 divisions for the 2013 Surrey County Council elections View an interactive map featuring individual results, turnout and vote percentages on our Elections Dashboard. The overall results are as follows: 58 Conservative 9 Liberal Democrats 9 Residents’ Association / Independents 3 UKIP 1 Labour 1 Green Party Turnout … Continue reading »

Surrey County Council Senior Performance and Research Manager Ben Unsworth has participated in a debate organised by the Guardian about local elections. Voting started this morning in the 2013 county council elections, with polling stations opening across Surrey at 7am. Residents have until 10pm to vote. They can find out who their local candidates are … Continue reading »

Voting is taking place in the 2013 county council elections. Polling stations across Surrey opened at 7am as early voters had their say in electing who should represent them on the county council. Voting is taking place throughout the day until polling stations close at 10pm. You can find out who your local candidates are and where you … Continue reading »

Turnout at this week’s county council elections could surpass the last time Surrey went to the polls after it was revealed 34,000 more people have registered to vote compared to 2009. On Thursday May 2, all 81 county council seats will be contested as Surrey residents decide who should represent them on the local authority. … Continue reading »

Around 200,000 people in Surrey are putting their health at risk by regularly drinking too much alcohol. One in four people aged over 16 in the county is estimated to drink more than the recommended safe limit of alcohol, which is four units a day at most for men and no more than three* for women … Continue reading »

Following the news that four Surrey firms have won a Queen’s Award for Enterprise, Surrey County Council Strategic Director Julie Fisher said: “I’d like to congratulate all four companies for winning this prestigious award. It is fantastic news not just for the companies themselves but for Surrey as a whole. They prove that the county … Continue reading »

BBC television news reported on Surrey County Council’s project to build pothole-proof roads that are designed to last a decade before repairs are needed. A 10 year warranty means if there was a problem with a road, the cost of repairing it would fall to the contractor that built the road and not the council. … Continue reading »

A hard-hitting road safety campaign aimed to keep young people safe on the roads has featured in a BBC documentary. License to Kill highlighted how Safe Drive Stay Alive, led by Surrey Fire and Rescue Service, uses powerful videos, eyewitness accounts and first hand experiences to educate young people about the potential dangers of the road. Documentary presenter … Continue reading »

Surrey County Council’s Simon Pollock has participated in a debate organised by the Guardian about councils sharing services to save money. Surrey’s head of shared services highlighted a joint purchasing operation with East Sussex County Council and the work of the South East 7, a partnership of the region’s seven largest local authorities.

Nearly 430 people with disabilities were helped to find work in the past year through a Surrey County Council initiative. EmployAbility secured paid employment, voluntary work or a work experience role for 426 people in the last financial year. It also continued to help nearly 600 people in their jobs. The news follows an awards … Continue reading »

Apprenticeships are rocketing across Surrey – with a near 20% surge in a year. The number of new apprentices aged 16 to 18 shot up by 19.2% to 690 in the last financial year. And apprenticeships in the 19-24 age group climbed by 16.5% in the same period, with almost 100 extra places filled. The … Continue reading »

Two innovative mobile apps created by Surrey County Council have been championed out at a national event focusing on science and technology. Surrey created apps to help prevent residents forking out £1 million a year to dispose of trade waste and cut bureaucracy for youth workers while saving tens of thousands of pounds. The waste … Continue reading »

Surrey County Council is to build pothole proof roads that are designed to last a decade before repairs are needed. A 10 year warranty means if there was a problem with a road, the cost of repairing it would fall to the contractor that built the road and not the council. Since the start of … Continue reading »

A flight of 14 locks on the Basingstoke canal reopened this week letting boats navigate the stretch of waterway for the first time in four years. The locks at Deepcut have been closed since 2009 for structural repairs and the replacement of many of the gates which had reached the end of their useful life. … Continue reading »

Surrey County Council has been recognised for its excellence in customer services for the second year running. The authority’s shared services centre – which provides support for HR, finance and purchasing – has been handed the government’s Customer Service Excellence standard. Chief Executive David McNulty received the award, which recognises the efforts of staff to … Continue reading »

Strategic Director for Children, Schools and Families Nick Wilson has been interviewed by BBC Surrey about primary school places for September and the county council’s programme to create 12,000 extra classroom places following a 20% rise in birth rates in the past decade.

One of Surrey Fire and Rescue Service’s investigation dogs Tilly appeared on ITV’s television show This Morning. Tilly and her handler Steve Craig appeared on the show alongside presenters Phillip Scofield and Holly Willoughby. Tilly demonstrated how her nose can help her sniff out the cause of suspcious blazes reducing the time and cost of investigating fires. The … Continue reading »

Businessmen and women flocked to an event designed to boost young people’s career prospects and equip firms with the skilled workforce to thrive. The Developing Skills for Surrey event organised by Surrey County Council attracted more than 60 businesses looking to hire apprentices, offer trial placements or offer work experience. They had the opportunity to get … Continue reading »

Nearly £550,000 is set to be clawed back by Surrey households on the annual cost of energy thanks to the county council’s help. More than 11,000 people joined the authority’s switch and save scheme to tackle rising fuel bills. They linked up with more than 150,000 people nationwide to use their collective clout to negotiate … Continue reading »

Older people and carers will soon be able to get the lowdown on care, community and health matters on the go. Surrey County Council is launching a mobile version of its Surrey Information Point website. It will mean people can easily access local information, such as help at home, support for carers and social activities, … Continue reading »

Following the release of information on primary school places, for September, Surrey County Council’s Strategic Director for Children, Schools and Families Nick Wilson said: “Despite the pressure on places following a 20% rise in birth rates over the past decade, we’re pleased that so many parents have been offered a school of their choice. “This … Continue reading »

The overall winner of this year’s Surrey Schools Have Talent competition will get to perform at a summer music festival featuring superstars Jamiroquai and Bryan Adams. The lucky performer will appear at Magic Summer Live, a two-day festival expected to attract around 40,000 people over the weekend of July 13 and 14, at Guildford’s Stoke … Continue reading »

Surrey will celebrate the joy of the written word on World Book Night during a jam-packed event featuring some of the hottest new authors on the literary scene. Novelists Elizabeth Haynes and Melissa Harrison, both Amazon rising stars, will be among 12 up-and coming-authors talking about their passion for writing and their work at Guildford … Continue reading »

Technology pioneered by the US military during the Cold War is keeping vulnerable people in Surrey safe. GPS, now widely found in car sat navs and aircraft, is being used to stop people with dementia getting lost. A watch is being trialled with a built-in tracking system that allows the wearer’s location to be accurately … Continue reading »