Michaela Martin

Farnham Board - Friday, 28 March 2025 10.00 am

The Farnham Board met to discuss the Farnham Infrastructure Programme, including updates on town centre improvements, cycle schemes, and the A31 corridor. The board was also scheduled to discuss programme risks and review progress against key milestones. The meeting was scheduled to include updates on various projects and address questions from board members.

Council - Tuesday, 18 March 2025 10.00 am

The meeting began with a discussion of the future of local government in Surrey, with Councillor Tim Oliver, the Leader of the Council, and Councillor Catherine Powell, the Leader of the Opposition, outlining their differing perspectives. Councillor Oliver strongly advocated for the creation of two new Unitary Councils for Surrey, arguing that it would bring greater clarity, efficiency, and financial savings. Councillor Powell favoured three Unitary Councils, believing that it would deliver more localism and better reflect existing collaborations between boroughs. The meeting also touched on the growing debt issues in Woking and Spellthorne, prompting calls for government intervention. The Council then voted to submit its interim proposal on Local Government Reorganisation to the government.

Adults and Health Select Committee - Thursday, 6 March 2025 10.00 am

Surrey County Council has decided to approve plans to standardise urgent care services in the county and will approve a plan in the next six months to roll out Technology Enabled Care across Surrey. The council also heard presentations about how Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care Board (ICB) is working to improve access to mental health and dementia services and to general practice.

Joint Health and Overview Scrutiny Committee (Frimley Park Hospital) - Tuesday, 25 February 2025 1.00 pm

The committee noted the two reports presented to the meeting, and agreed to review the Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust overarching strategy in more detail at a future meeting. The committee agreed a recommendation requiring the Trust to make additional efforts to ensure their communications about the new hospital programme reach digitally excluded and minority groups.

Budget Meeting, Council - Tuesday, 4 February 2025 10.00 am

The Council voted to adopt its budget for 2025/26, increasing Council Tax by the maximum permitted 4.99% and making £66 million in savings. The Council also noted the Memorandum of Understanding between Surrey County Council and Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care Partnership and approved the revised Health and Wellbeing Board Terms of Reference.