Liberal Lockdown and Beyond

On Wednesday 7 June 2023, the Section 151 Officer and Interim Director of Finance issued Woking Borough Council with a Section 114 Notice in response to the unprecedented financial challenges facing the authority. In previous podcasts Lib Dem Councillors Peter Graves and Dale Roberts have discussed the prospects of WBC being issued with a Section 114 notice.  Now that such a notice has been formal...

Dr Swati Mukherjee, a paediatric surgeon, a senior director in biotechnology and mother of 2 boys is the Lib Dem candidate for the Horsell Ward on 4th May. Swati talks to Cllr Peter Graves about her life, achievements and ambitions for Woking. Support the show

Steve Greentree was a senior executive in the biotech industry and talks about how he wants to apply the customer focussed approach that was so successful in his business life to help the residents of Knaphill.  Steve talks to Cllr Peter Graves about his life, achievements and ambitions. Support the show

Pyrford resident, father of 2 sons, world record holder, ocean rower, business owner, keen cyclist, fit energetic campaigner and compassionate supporter of those less able to help themselves. Chris talks to Cllr Peter Graves about his life, achievements and ambitions and reveals some surprising and candid stories about himself. Support the show

The Woking Examiner's Cllr Peter Graves, asks Portfolio Holder for Planning and Regulations,  Cllr Liam Lyons, to explain: What are the benefits of a town centre Masterplan? Does Woking have such a plan? Is the choice as simple as "build up" or "build out"? Can Woking meet its building targets for affordable homes? When did Woking start preparing a Masterplan?  Can Nationa...

In this episode we continue the examination of Woking Borough Council's finances and try to find answers to questions such as: Can WBC go bankrupt?  What are the implications of a Section 114 notice? What is DLUHC? What are the Lib Dems doing to sort out the problems? How long will it take to sort out the problems? Support the show

This episode of The Woking Examiner tries to answer three questions With borrowing commitments standing at £2.4 billion how did Woking Borough Council end up with such huge loans? With annual loan repayments of £60 million and climbing and Council Tax income of £10 million how does it make ends meet?   Does it actually make ends meet? Woking Lib Dem Councillor Peter Graves takes a close look at th...

The local election is fast approaching. Woking residents will go to the polls on May 6th to have their say on who represents their Borough, their County and as their Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC).   In this episode Liberal Democrat Candidate Dale Roberts explores the issues that will help you decide where to place your vote. He is joined by Lib Dem Cllrs Will Forster (Woking Borough Council...

Politicians today are creating a growing gap between what they say and what they do. The result is an increasing lack of trust in politics.   “Fide et Diligentia”. This is the motto of Woking Borough Council. It means ‘Faith and Diligence.’ Ironic, given how the Tory-led council have been making decisions. It’s no surprise that politicians are seen as less trustworthy than bankers when they bypass...

Serious managerial incompetence by senior Tory Councillors is identified in the independent inspector's "Report on Woking Football Club and Associated Development - 15 December 2020". The report clearly identifies many very important issues for all Woking voters.  Woking Borough Council granted a £250 million loan to a property developer and has been found to have inadequate paperwo...

Jobs for Tory pals and weak management of Woking Borough Council officers by the Conservative leadership.    Independent LGA (Local Government Association) reports in 2015 and 2019 highlight poor management practice and managerial incompetence by the Woking Tories. These have been hidden and ignored. Adam Kirby and Dale Roberts probe the details in Woking Spotlight.   Incompetence, mismanagement,...

Our NHS is bearing the brunt of this pandemic.  Would the system collapse with the influx of COVID-19 patients?  What about cancer patients requiring regular treatment or those booked for routine operations?  Ellen Nicholson is a nurse, health researcher for the Liberal Democrats and chair of the General Practice Nurse Forum for the Royal College of Nursing.  If that wasn’t enough, she’s our 2021...

Unnecessary packaging and unsustainable products are intertwined with our everyday lives. It doesn’t have to be this way: Re-fill your shampoo bottles, don’t throw them away! Swap to the metal straws, bamboo toothbrushes and reusable menstrual products that are filling our shelves. Mel Hemmings, founder of Woking’s first zero waste shop, Bare + Fair, joins us to share her eco-friendly top tips for...

Caring about our climate means: shunning single-use plastic, caring for local wildlife, gardening, walking and cycling. This week we hear from Woking’s equivalent of Sir David Attenborough who is doing all of these, and more! Tune in to hear Norman Johns provide environment inspiration with live local projects he’s involved in.  Woking Environmental Action Group: https://wokingla21.wordpress.com ....

Is your neighbour’s dog driving you barking mad? What about their trees invading your freshly-pruned garden? Dale Roberts, a Lib Dem candidate and local community mediator shares his advice for preventing and resolving neighbourly disputes. We discuss how politicians should talk less and listen more to transform the effectiveness of government.   Mediation Surrey: https://mediationsurrey.org   ***...

It’s official. The UK is in the worst recession for decades. The words “2020 is a write-off for us” are echoed by many local businesses up and down the country. This week we talk to the President of Woking Chamber of Commerce and owner of Field’s Car Centre in Woking, Richard Field. He tells us how his team transformed the services they offered to ensure customers remain safe and on the road, expr...

It’s not just the nation’s physical health that is being ruined by this virus. Chief Executive of Woking Mind, Tony Bennett, reveals the impacts that the past few months have had, and will continue to have, on our mental health. He also highlights how to recognise when you or those around you may need support and how to access local services. Remember – we're all in this together, in the same...

Woking’s homeless population has tripled during the pandemic. CEO of the York Road Project, Cath Stamper joins us to discuss this along with the change in the homeless demographic, establishing direct links with other groups to expand the support available and her positivity for the future with the country’s first purpose-built homeless accommodation. You can find out more about the project and su...

How have parents summoned their inner teacher? In part one of this two-part discussion on education, we talk to some of Woking’s parents affected by the lockdown. Our guests share their stories of veering off-syllabus with DIY science experiments and conference-call mishaps, to the vast differences in support provided by different schools. A huge thanks to Karen, Heidi, Jacqui, Amanda and Claire f...

Continuing on from part 1, this time you’ll hear about Woking’s transition back from bedrooms to classrooms. We’re continuing with the topic of education but from the view of a local educator and current Woking Borough Councillor for Mount Hermon, Liam Lyons. Differences in access to technology, the impact on exams, returning to school and empowering teachers are just some of the topics we discuss...

After 12 weeks of the lockdown provoked by the Covid-19 pandemic two Woking Liberal Democrat candidates highlight some of the major challenges, inspiring stories and future opportunities facing the people of Woking. They are in listening and exploring mode as they share what is happening in Woking during this extraordinary time. Contact them by email - Louise. McElhinney@wokinglibdems.org.uk - or...