Column: Guildford’s MP Writes – Greener, Fairer, Thriving

Published on: 2 Jan, 2025
Updated on: 4 Jan, 2025

Zoe Franklin

Guildford’s Lib Dem MP, Zoe Franklin, writes to inform Dragon readers of her activity…

By Zoe Franklin

During my election campaign I promised to deliver a greener, fairer, more thriving Guildford and our villages and I have been working hard to deliver on these priorities.

Here is a flavour of what I have been up to…

Greener

A greener Guildford now will help us to secure a better future, which is why I am working so hard to achieve this.

Transitioning away from cars and onto public transport is a key way that we can help secure a greener future, but unfortunately, for many residents across Guildford constituency, this is not a viable option.

For too long our transport networks were neglected by the previous government, leaving users frustrated by delays, poor accessibility and high costs.

The lack of step-free access at railway stations in our villages prevents many residents from choosing to use the trains. Stations like Clandon, Effingham Junction and Horsley still lack that basic accessibility.

Residents with mobility problems are forced to travel to larger towns like Guildford or Dorking if they wish to use the train. I recently spoke in a debate on public transport to urge the government to use the nationalisation of the railways as an opportunity to end these accessibility deserts and ensure that anyone who wants to use the train, can use the train.

I have also met with South Western Railway to discuss the prospect of two new railway stations in Guildford – Merrow and Guildford West. These two long-proposed stations would drastically improve the viability of rail travel for thousands of Guildford residents, increasing train passenger numbers and removing cars from Guildford’s congested road network.

I have also spoken in Parliament about the need to maintain the £2 bus fare cap. The rise to £3 could prove cost prohibitive for many residents and reduce the desirability of bus use for many more. As well as increased car use, this will lead to reduced social mobility, a key driver of economic growth.

On top of this, I have been pushing the government when it comes to water and sewage. I was pleased at the announcement of a new independent water commission, but I have called on the government to scrap the water regulator, Ofwat, and introduce a new regulator; a regulator with teeth that has the power to hold water companies to account that can finally bring an end to the scourge of sewage dumping in our rivers
and waterways.

Closed since 2019, the closed footbridge over Tumbling Bay Weir

Locally, I have met with the National Trust to ensure that the Tumbling Weir repairs are completed as a matter of urgency and the towpath along the River Wey is re-opened.

Fairer

I have been working hard on a variety of issues that will lead to a fairer society, both here in Guildford constituency and across the country. One of the critical issues that I have been focussed on is the crisis in Special Educational Needs (SEND) provision.

I have raised this issue in the House of Commons on a number of occasions. Initially, I called for students with a diagnosed education need, with or without an EHCP to be exempt from VAT on private school fees.

Recently, I spoke to highlight the difficulties parents face in trying to get their children a diagnosis and support, following my recent visit to the Family Voice coffee morning in Guildford constituency.

It is heartbreaking to hear the distress these families face, unanswered emails, caseworkers going on holiday and never coming back, months and sometimes years of children not being able to attend education. Parents being forced to spend thousands on private assessments to get the support their children need or appealing decisions made by the local authority.

The thing that distressed me most of all were the stories I heard of parents contemplating suicide because the process designed to support them is failing. It is hard to believe that we have reached such a position, but I am deeply grateful to the Education Minister for making it very clear that this government is committed to addressing the SEND crisis and I look forward to working with her on this issue in 2025.

Another important issue is properly funding the health services that many people rely on, but aren’t necessary delivered centrally by the NHS, such as social care, palliative care and hospices.

As mentioned in my previous column, I have made two trips to St Christophers Children’s Hospice, just across the border of our constituency in Shalford. Each of these has left me with a lasting impression as I’ve witnessed the incredible work the staff do to support children with who have life-threatening conditions.

In a recent debate, I highlighted the challenging financial position these hospices are facing, with only one-third of their funding coming from the NHS and central government. It is not sustainable for the majority of funding to be sourced from third-party donations. This is why I urged the minister to commit to a fair, long-term deal for funding hospices and that NHS funding returns to being a centrally managed grant.

Thriving

This government has said that it is committed to delivering economic growth. Sadly, in the recent budget there were several measures that I believe will inhibit us achieving a more thriving future. That is why I have spoken out in opposition of the rise in Employer’s National Insurance Contributions (NICs) and opposed the family farm tax.

I have already heard stories from local constituents who have been made redundant because of the NICs rise. The pressure these rises places on small businesses will limit, rather than expand economic growth and I will continue to oppose them to ensure we can achieve a thriving future.

LGC Priestly

I recently had the opportunity to visit the LGC Priestly site in Guildford, which is set to become the new UK National Measurement Laboratory. I am proud that Guildford has the local partnerships and talent available to enable us to make such a positive contribution to British and international science and it is a clear example of our local community thriving.

And finally…

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all residents of Guildford and our villages a happy new year. May 2025 bring you many blessings.

If you need my help, I am here for you. You can reach me at zoe.franklin.mp@parliament.uk or on social media @ZoeFranklinLD.

The Dragon NEWS is inviting the local Conservative and Labour parties to give their views too.

Responses to Column: Guildford’s MP Writes – Greener, Fairer, Thriving

Stephen Spark Reply

January 2, 2025 at 1:32 pm

Encouraging to learn that an MP is campaigning for accessible stations on the New Guildford Line and the construction of Merrow and Guildford North, which have been on the back burner for decades. In fact, Merrow was first proposed in 1884! A siding to serve Lord Onslow’s brickworks was built but the station never appeared, despite numerous promises over the past 140 years.

When new trains will arrive (the existing ones are 40 years old) and whether they’ll represent any kind of improvement is one of many unanswered questions about the line.

Ms Franklin might also like to tackle Network Rail and South Western Rail on the frequent closures that make weekend travel between Guildford and Surbiton via Cobham almost impossible. On several occasions the line was closed not because of any local engineering work but simply to allow express trains to use the line unhindered by local “stoppers”. On at least two weekends last year New Line services were cancelled without warning so as to release rolling stock and drivers which were used to provide extra services on other lines for special events. That practice is completely unacceptable and needs to stop.

I’d recommend that our MP holds some meetings with Surrey County Council to try to get to the bottom of – and hopefully overturn – its steadfast anti-rail stance. SCC has one of the worst records of any county council in the UK when it comes to supporting and promoting travel by rail. Sustainable transport sense needs to be knocked into the petrolheads of County Hall.
Ricky Sonn Reply

January 2, 2025 at 3:46 pm

Zoe Franklin correctly diagnoses a crisis in SEND provision and this is due to budget cuts since 2010, as are many of the other problems with our education sector. State schools are increasingly dependent on the work of parent teacher associations which are no longer funding “nice to haves” but instead fundamental requirements.

But I am very confused as to why parents of children with SEND being exempted from VAT should be a priority. State school pupils with SEND receive much worse provision and their parents will be much less likely to be able to afford private assessments and support than parents who can find thousands of pounds a year in private school fees.

And then, later in the article, Ms Franklin announces she does not support the rise of employer national insurance contributions. So how exactly would our MP pay for everything she is promising? I’m aware that she is not part of government but she could at least attempt to come up with a reasonable programme, rather than suggesting she would sort out a whole host of problems (costing many millions) while also promising to cut taxes.
Jules Cranwell Reply

January 3, 2025 at 5:24 am

Greener Guildford? Not in the Horsleys it isn’t, or in other villages robbed of green belt protection. We are steadily being concreted over with unsustainable housing developments.

Once again, I invite Ms Franklin to visit West Horsley, and explain to me how this is making the village greener.
H Trevor Jones Reply

January 3, 2025 at 10:34 am

Many thanks to Zöe for keeping us up-to-date with the good work she is doing with her well-written report.

But I also hope she will note Ricky Sonn’s comments above about both spending millions and cutting taxes at the same time.

Myself being better off than some folk, I don’t mind paying taxes, as long as they are well spent by the government.

But it would help if there was less hassle needed for honest folk to declare their tax liabilities and pay them, and if the rules could be simpler. (Because of the complications, I’m having to pay a tax adviser to help with a capital gains liability just incurred – would a lower rate of tax but no complicated “allowances” be simpler?)

It would also help to be able to use a deceased person’s assets to pay their inheritance tax rather than generally have to pay the tax with other funds in order to get probate in order to release the deceased’s assets.