Surrey County Council under the leadership of Conservative Tim Oliver is a Council transformed.
As leader of Elmbridge Borough Council from 2018-19, he championed Green Belt protection and secured a High Court injunction against Traveller incursions. Tim then took over the reins at Surrey and has led reforms to almost every area of Council business - making £250m of efficiency savings while improving services for residents.
He says: “Covid has had a huge impact but thanks to our hard work to transform the Council, we have been able to provide financial security and certainty in guiding Surrey through the pandemic. Alongside that, we’ve continued with our ambitions in improving services and making this organisation fit for the future. That work will continue.”
Over the past year, Surrey has met the cost of PPE delivered to the frontline, given financial support to the care and voluntary sectors, helped vulnerable residents, and provided staffing to help the county through the pandemic. In the next five years it will invest almost £2BN on improving infrastructure, tackling the climate emergency and growing our local economy, providing jobs, reducing inequality and improving the lives of all our residents.
Tim continues: “We must demonstrate to Council Tax payers that we are spending their money wisely and delivering the best value. We will continue to drive greater efficiencies wherever we can and look to pass on that benefit to residents.”
Surrey spends more than £1M every single day on Adult Social Care and more than £500,000 every day on Children’s Services. Many residents won’t experience these services, but it is Surrey’s duty to look after the most vulnerable and the Conservative Council will continue to do that, while pressing Government on sustainable funding to enable us to deliver that care. Every year the Council spends £140M on environment, transport and infrastructure, over £30M on public health, £37M on community protection (including Surrey Fire & Rescue Service).
Tim’s administration has four key priorities for Surrey County Council after the May elections. These are:
- Growing a sustainable economy (particularly critical as our county recovers from Covid)
- Tackling health inequality - accelerating health and social care integration, to reduce demand on services while improving health outcomes for residents
- Enabling a greener future. Measures include planting 1.2M trees, investing in ultra low emission buses, promoting walking and cycling and replacing street lights with energy efficient bulbs
- Engaging with our communities - making it easier for residents to play an active role in shaping decisions outside elections.
“I know that we have a brighter future ahead of us. We will overcome Covid, rise to the challenge of recovery and will continue to make Surrey the best place to live, work and to grow a business,” adds Tim.