Surrey families know the real story behind Conservative claims

20 Jun 2025

Surrey's Conservative leader is trying to rewrite history as his council faces dissolution - but families across our county know the real story of Tory failure

As Surrey County Council prepares for local government reorganisation, Conservative leader Tim Oliver has penned a self-congratulatory piece for Conservative Home claiming his administration leaves behind "a legacy the Conservatives can be proud of."

For families across Runnymede and Surrey who have experienced the devastating impact of Conservative cuts over the past six years, Oliver's claims ring hollow. His attempt to rebrand service cuts as "transformation" and present crisis management as success is an insult to the thousands of families who have suffered under his leadership.

Don Whyte, co-Leader of Runnymede Borough Council, said: "The residents that we talk to tell a very different story to the one Cllr Oliver describes. Families across our borough have seen vital children's centres close, struggled to get the SEND support their children need, and watched as the Conservatives balanced their books by cutting the services our communities depend on. That's not a legacy to be proud of - it's a record of failure that shows exactly why we need change."

The children's services crisis Oliver won't acknowledge

Oliver boasts that Surrey's children's services are now rated "Good" by Ofsted, but conveniently ignores the human tragedy that preceded this recent improvement. Surrey County Council has the highest number of complaints in the country about its SEND provision to the Local Government Ombudsman, with families facing systematic failures that have had devastating consequences.

The reality is heartbreaking. One 17-year-old girl with autism and ADHD died by suicide in October 2021, with the coroner finding that her death could have been avoided if support had been provided in a "timely manner". Her mother believes the teenager took her own life because her mental health had suffered so badly due to inadequate SEND provision.

This isn't an isolated case. Six Liberal Democrat Surrey MPs have jointly written to the Education Secretary expressing "grave concerns" about Surrey's handling of special educational needs, asking her to protect children from harm. The scale of the crisis is evident in the fact that Surrey is part of the Department for Education's Safety Valve financial intervention scheme for local authorities in the worst financial situation.

Financial "stability" built on devastating cuts

Oliver claims Surrey has achieved "financial stability through a dedicated and laser-focused approach," but what he really means is that the Conservatives balanced their books by slashing vital services families depend on.

When Oliver became leader in 2018, Surrey County Council was facing an enormous £250 million black hole The Surrey children's centres closing this month and where you can now go for help - Surrey Live. Rather than fighting for fairer funding from government or finding innovative solutions, the Conservative response was brutal: cut first, ask questions later.

The human cost has been enormous. Surrey closed 31 children's centres, reducing the total from 58 to just 21, with around 330 staff leaving through redundancy. These weren't just buildings - they were lifelines for families across our communities, providing vital early support that prevents more serious problems later.

In our own borough, families in Addlestone, Chertsey and other areas lost access to local children's centres, forcing parents to travel further for support or go without entirely. This particularly impacted the most vulnerable families who rely on public transport and can least afford the extra costs.

The SEND crisis continues despite the spin

Oliver claims Surrey's Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) timeliness is "well above the national average," but this completely misses the point. Meeting deadlines means nothing if the support provided is inadequate or non-existent.

SEND case officers in Surrey handle up to 200 cases each and receive 50-60 emails a day, with parents often chasing updates due to lack of communication. The system is broken, with families facing what one report described as "an overworked staff" struggling to cope with impossible caseloads.

Recent High Court cases have found "serious and substantial breaches of duties" by Surrey County Council regarding children with complex needs, highlighting systematic failures that continue to this day.

What Liberal Democrats would do differently

The contrast with Liberal Democrat values and policies couldn't be starker. Where Conservatives have cut services and blamed families, Liberal Democrats believe in investing in prevention and supporting everyone to reach their potential.

Our 2024 manifesto commits to putting a dedicated, qualified mental health professional in every primary and secondary school, recognising that early intervention is both more humane and more cost-effective than crisis management.

We would triple the Early Years Pupil Premium to £1,000 a year for disadvantaged children and give every child the support they need with more specialist teachers. Unlike the Conservatives' approach of cutting first and dealing with consequences later, Liberal Democrats understand that investing in children's services early saves money and transforms lives.

Runnymede shows there is a better way

Here in Runnymede, Liberal Democrats are already demonstrating a different approach. Don Whyte, our co-Leader of the Runnymede Council Alliance, has worked with partners to stabilise the council's finances without the devastating service cuts seen at county level.

The new administration at Runnymede Borough Council has prioritised transparency and community engagement - values that have been notably absent from Surrey County Council under Conservative leadership. We're working to find sustainable solutions to budget pressures whilst protecting the services residents depend on.

Looking forward: the reorganisation opportunity

As Surrey prepares for local government reorganisation, Oliver claims Conservative experience makes them "best placed to build these new authorities from the ground up." This is precisely why we must ensure they don't get the chance.

The Conservative record at Surrey County Council - the children's centres closures, the SEND crisis, the financial mismanagement disguised as prudence - shows exactly what we can expect from future Conservative leadership. More cuts, more families left behind, more spin to disguise failure.

Liberal Democrats offer a different vision based on our core values of compassion, community and fairness. We believe in supporting families when they need help, investing in prevention rather than crisis management, and being honest with residents about challenges whilst working together to find solutions.

Tim Oliver's article is a masterclass in political spin, trying to present devastating cuts as achievements and crisis management as visionary leadership. But families across Surrey - including here in Runnymede - know the real story. They've lived through the consequences of Conservative choices and they deserve better.

When the new unitary authorities are established, we must ensure they're led by people who understand that a council's success isn't measured by balanced books alone, but by the lives it improves and the communities it serves. That's the Liberal Democrat difference, and that's the legacy Surrey's families truly deserve.