AGM Round Up

Friday 14th May

This week saw the annual round of 'Annual General Meetings', which took place at both of our local County and Borough Councils. The purpose of these is to take stock, sum up the previous year's business, make new appointments and set out what the Council is looking to do over the coming year.

In the case of both local authorities, there are challanges ahead. Diminishing grants, capping and the increasing social burdens are forcing both authorities to make difficult decisions in terms of expenditure without making cuts to frontline services. How much of this can realistically be made from rationalising the 'back office' remains to be seen.

Otherwise, the picture looks about okay. But don't expect those highway infrastructure improvements this year.

On a seperate matter, stewardship of committees were also announced at both of the AGM's. Yours truly has now been formally appointed to Chairman of the Surrey County Council Planning & Regulatory Committee, thereby bringing prior learning and more recent planning experience to bear; and to Chairman of the Surrey Heath Borough Council Licencing Committee, after three years of serving as the Vice-Chairman.