Chris Elmer (Walton South - Cllr 2007/16)

I have lived in Walton for 25 years with my wife Christine. In 2007 I took early retirement after 40 years in public service and was elected as a Conservative councillor, serving Walton Ambleside and Walton South between 2007 and 2016. During this time I chaired both the Licensing and Planning Committees, and was Vice Chairman of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee and member of the SCC Local Committee for Elmbridge. Why now a Liberal Democrat? I became disillusioned with the Conservative administration while I was still a Conservative Elmbridge Borough Councillor and was not comfortable with the complacent and arrogant stance adopted, not dissimilar to the national stance. I therefore did not seek re selection as a Conservative candidate in May 2016 but reassessed my views as more facts about the party emerged. It became clear to me that my political allegiance now lay with the Liberal Democrats with whom I think I am better placed to serve the residents of Walton South. 1. Planning, traffic, roads and quality service - but we are in the hands of the Planning Inspectorate on Drake Park, the biggest development Walton is facing and traffic and roads are the responsibility of SCC which need vigorous lobbying to get residents’ views listened to. Value for money is not just about cutting costs but retaining quality services. 2. Oppose inappropriate development impacting on residents’ quality of life and recreational green spaces. Reintroduce an effective 24-hour noise complaint service, scrapped by the Conservatives. Bring back bags and scoops for dog waste in parks. Lobby Surrey County Council to replace trees we are losing from our roads.