Surrey County Council to Return to Surrey, New Leader Announces

Published on: 11 Dec, 2018
Updated on: 11 Dec, 2018

The new Surrey County Council Cabinet.

By Rebecca Curley

Local Democracy Reporter

Surrey County Council’s new leader has created a cabinet post responsible for finance as well as appointing a councillor to be charged with finding an alternative base for County Hall.

Cllr Tim Oliver

Cllr Tim Oliver said he hopes all staff will have vacated County Hall in Kingston by 2020 saying it was time they “returned to Surrey”.

He has appointed Cllr Natalie Bramhall, Conservative member from Reigate and Banstead, to lead the hunt for new offices as well as Cllr Mel Few, Conservative member of Runnymede and former lead member of adult social care to oversee finances.

As well as these two new posts, Cllr Oliver presented his new cabinet to councillors at SCC’s full council meeting on Tuesday, December 11.

Cllr Clare Curran who headed up the failing children’s services, has stepped down along with former deputy leader Cllr John Furey.

Cllr Matt Furniss

Fresh faces to the cabinet table include Guildford’s Matt Furniss to takes the lead for highways, Cllr Julie Iles (the Horsleys) who has been given all-age learning portfolio and Spelthorne’s Cllr Sinead Mooney who is now cabinet member for adults.

Cllr Mary Lewis who previously held the role for all-learning including schools and SEND has now been moved over to head up children’s services.

Cllr Julie Iles

Speaking in the council chamber as he delivered his acceptance speech after being elected Surrey’s new leader, Cllr Oliver said there was a “steep hill to climb” and that “making this council fit for purpose is not going to be easy”.

The Elmbridge councillor and current council leader said he wanted to make Surrey “financially sustainable again”.

He said: “My commitment that I will get the finances of Surrey in order can be clearly demonstrated from my decision to create a post of cabinet member of finance ensuring that sustainable budgets are essential to our thinking.”

He said changes required to make the council fit for purpose would be “uncomfortable”.

He added: “We cannot go on as before. Change is difficult because we walk a tightrope of respecting the past and adapting to the future where resources are even tighter.

“We must make children’s services outstanding.”

He set out his agenda for working more closely with central government, as well as charities, faith and the voluntary sector and wanted to involve residents and businesses more.

Cllr Oliver said: “We need to have people on our side but as long as an isolating and disjointed service continues, they will not be. It is vital we have our residents backing because it is them we are here to serve.”

Plans to look at an alternative base for SCC were set out last month, but Cllr Oliver said he had now instructed officers to look into this and hoped to have some suggestions in a few months with a view to leaving Penrhyn Road in Kingston by 2020.

He said: “Surrey County Council needs to return to Surrey. For too long the emotional connection to a community has been taken for granted.”

Address opposition councillors, Cllr Oliver said there would be an overhaul of scrutiny and democratic governance within the council and that members from other parties needed to be involved earlier in policy making but must speak up and not “sit on the sidelines”.

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