Lib Dem County Council group Leader Chis Botten has just published his latest blog, covering his work as a County and District Councillor. It looks at the impact of funding cuts and is called:

"This is a Dark Age. And even the best of us can only light candles."

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Chris Botten, Lib Dem Leader of the Opposition at Surrey Councty Council descibes Surrey Children’s Services as " a long history of failure."

The high visibility of the hard-working Lib Dem candidates in the north of the district paid dividends with three gains from Tories in Westway, Whyteleafe and Queens Park. Working all year round for their communities secured some significant majorities.

John Orrick (Queens Park) returns to the District Council having represented Caterham Hill on Surrey County Council for eight years until 2017. John secured 58.7% of the vote with a swing of 18.8% from the Conservatives.

After moving away from the district in 2009, due to work committments, former Whyteleafe councillor Jeffrey Gray was welcomed back by the village with 46.5% of the vote, ousting Tory Sakina Bradbury with a swing of 12.2%.

In Westway, traditionally a three-way marginal ward, George Dennis joined recent by-election winner Lib Dem Helen Rujbally with a swing of 8.4% from the Tories, securing 42.4% of the vote.

The Lib Dems were only defending one of the 14 seats in this election, which Simon Morrow successfully achieved in Warlingham East, Chelsham & Farleigh ward with a 2.6% increase of his majority.

Commenting on the Labour frontbench abstaining and Tory peers voting against the people having the final say on the Brexit Deal in the House of Lords, Liberal Democrat leader in the House of Lords Dick Newby said:

“This vote has shown that since we last voted on the issue a year ago there has been a large shift in favour of giving the people the final say on any Brexit deal.