Surrey News
mary lewis
Trading standards transforms children’s garden to celebrate landmark
Trading Standards officers have joined forces with local businesses to transform a garden at a respite care home for children with disabilities. Earlier this year, Squire’s Garden Centres became the 100th firm to join Buckinghamshire and Surrey Trading Standards Primary Authority scheme. To celebrate, the two organisations joined together to transform the bland outside space … Continue reading
New safeguarding arrangements for children in Surrey
The new Surrey Safeguarding Children Partnership replaces Surrey Safeguarding Children Board from September 2019. The partnership is jointly and equally led by Surrey County Council, Surrey Police and Guildford and Waverley Clinical Commissioning Group on behalf of all Clinical Commissioning Groups and NHS providers in Surrey. The three safeguarding partners will form a new Executive … Continue reading
Government report published on Surrey’s Youth Offending Service
A government report has criticised the work of Surrey’s Youth Offending Service. The report highlighted that more work needs to be done to ensure we have the right response to meet the level of offending, around collecting data, staff readiness to respond to issues of safety and wellbeing, and around ensuring the safety of children … Continue reading
Guildford MP praises dedication of Surrey social workers
Education Minister Anne Milton MP congratulated Surrey County Council social workers this week for the ‘passion and energy’ they’ve shown as they strive to improve services for children and families in Surrey. The Guildford MP met staff working in the new Children’s Single Point of Access (C-SPA), which is the gateway to all support, information … Continue reading
Further improvements to delivery of Children’s Services in Surrey
This week Cabinet approved the latest enhancement to the improved delivery of Children’s Services in Surrey. Approval of a new Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) within Children’s Services is part of the council’s continuing commitment to ensuring children in Surrey get the “right help, care and protection at the right time so they can thrive”. This … Continue reading
VIDEO: Mary Lewis updates Surrey’s Cabinet on progress in improving children’s services
Watch Mary Lewis, the county council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families, update the Cabinet on progress in improving Surrey’s children’s services, including the findings of a recent Ofsted monitoring visit.
AUDIO: Surrey Cabinet Member Mary Lewis encourages people to consider fostering
In an interview on BBC Surrey & Sussex yesterday, Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children Mary Lewis spoke about the amazing work foster carers do to transform the lives of vulnerable children. Mary’s interview starts at 6:30. For more information on becoming a foster carer, you can phone the council’s fostering team on 0800 … Continue reading
Former Surrey foster child backs campaign to find new carers
A former Surrey foster child who credits his foster family with turning his life around is backing a new campaign to find more carers. Lewis says his foster family gave him stability and a sense of self-worth which helped him achieve 12 GCSEs and a job he loves. He said: “My early childhood consisted of … Continue reading
County council backs community bid to welcome Syrian refugee family to Mole Valley
Surrey County Council is supporting an application from a community group to sponsor a family fleeing conflict in Syria to settle in Mole Valley. Mary Lewis, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families, took the decision on 22 January. More details are available here. Mrs Lewis said: “I’m pleased to support this community bid … Continue reading
Surrey agencies launch academy to train children’s workforce
Surrey County Council and partner agencies are today launching a new academy to train and support staff who work with children. Surrey Children’s Services Academy will support agencies across the county to work together to offer children and families the best possible help and care. The ambitious initiative is among the first of its kind in … Continue reading
VIDEO: New Surrey County Council Leader announces plan to leave County Hall
The new Leader of Surrey County Council has used his acceptance speech to announce plans to leave County Hall in Kingston. Tim Oliver, the county councillor for Weybridge, was this morning (Tuesday 11 December, 2018) elected to lead the authority and immediately revealed the plans to fellow councillors. Taking over from David Hodge who stepped … Continue reading
Five things you didn’t know you could do online with Surrey libraries
Mary Lewis, Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for All-Age Learning, said: “These are just a selection of the digital services available through Surrey libraries but there is potential for us to go further and use technology in new and different ways. “We’re running a consultation on the principles that will help us reshape our library … Continue reading
VIDEO: Smaller ‘link’ libraries help bring books closer to communities
Smaller “link” libraries are helping to bring books closer to local communities particularly in rural areas. Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for All-Age Learning, Mary Lewis, visited a community link library in Shere – one of three in Surrey. A consultation running until Friday 4 January 2019 is asking for people’s views on a proposed … Continue reading
VIDEO: Community hubs could bring libraries and other services under one roof
Residents are being asked for their views on whether libraries could bring together a range of local services in one place, as part of a consultation on a proposed strategy for libraries. Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for All-Age Learning, Mary Lewis, is calling on residents to have their say. The consultation can be found … Continue reading
VIDEO: Volunteers set to be given bigger role in running community-partnered libraries
With Surrey County Council’s Cabinet due to consider a report on Tuesday about support arrangements for community-partnered libraries, Mary Lewis, Cabinet Member for All Age Learning, outlines plans to give volunteers a bigger role in running their local branches. More information can be found here.
