By Rebecca Curley

Local Democracy Reporter

Opposition members at Surrey County Council have welcomed a change in how they can scrutinise decisions and policy making.

Cllr Tim Oliver promised to look at how policies and decisions can be scrutinised and held to account as he was elected as the local authority’s new leader at a full council meeting on Tuesday (December 11, 2018).

Responding to his first speech as council leader, opposition members welcomed the chance for more scrutiny, but warned there needed to be consistency and inclusion of their views.

County Cllr Chris Botten

Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Chris Botten (Caterham Hill) called for more transparency, saying he found it difficult to explain to residents why closing children centres and libraries would still mean the council could deliver their services.

He said: “We need to be trustworthy because we need to be transparent. We need to be much more clear about what we are doing and why we are doing it.

“In our engagement and positive approach to partnership we need to be very clear about what we are looking to achieve and being transparent about it.”

He called for a “consistency with committees” saying there had been too many changes to the terms of reference and makeup of panels and committees in the past.

County Cllr Amanda Boote

At the start of the meeting newly elected county councillor Amanda Boote, an Independent member from Woking who won The Byfleets by-election on December 6, was inducted into the council.

She won with 1,128 votes with a turnout of 23.20%. Nearest result was Tory Gary Elson with 782 votes.

The by-election was called after Cllr Richard Wilson died in October.

Cllr Stephen Spence, a Farnham Residents member from Waverley, said Cllr Oliver had missed out on having a “cabinet of talent” by sticking with a Conservative administration.

He said: “Most people don’t care if it’s a Conservative administration as long as it fixes the roads, as long as it keeps children centres open. And if you want us to be in the sidelines, you cannot have us on the sidelines.”

He said there would be better decisions if policies by officers staff were filtered through the opposition councillors.

Addressing the Tory majority and congratulating Cllr Boote on her win, he said: “There is one more of us and one less of you. She won that for a reason. She won that because if people don’t see the change they will shift their vote.”

Cllr Nick Harrison, Residents’ Association and Independent Group Leader from Reigate and Banstead, said appointing Cllr Mel Few as cabinet member for finance, a new post created, would keep them on the “straight and narrow”.

He said: “I would welcome more on the ground floor and early discussion in issues. We will have dialogue and I look forward to it.”

Cllr Robert Evans, Labour member for Stanwell and Stanwell Moor, said: “Many of the people I speak to in my area feel Surrey County Council is remote.

“They don’t understand the system of two councils. They do not feel it’s a good use of resources. They don’t care who provides the services, they just want the services provided. That might be something the new leader would want to look at.”

Cllr Oliver’s first cabinet meeting will be on Tuesday, December 18 at 2pm.