15th February 2025 Newsletter
A word on the local elections...
I was deeply disappointed by the Government’s announcement that May’s local elections in Surrey would be cancelled as the county will be in the first wave of local government reorganisation.
While I broadly support the proposals for reorganisation and devolution, I believe that the county needs more time to prepare given the myriad problems faced by Surrey County Council, from potholed roads to the crisis in Special Educational Needs and failings in child safeguarding.
I also believe that the people of Surrey should have had the opportunity to hold their county councillors to account and chose who they wanted to lead the work to create new councils to serve them.
On top of this, there is the significant issue of debt held by local authorities across Surrey. I spoke in Parliament on Wednesday 5th February to raise this concern. Local organisations are justifiably concerned about the impact of this reorganisation on their finances as a result.
I asked for a meeting between all Surrey MPs and the Minister for Local Government and English Devolution to discuss the issue of Surrey’s finances and I am very pleased that the Government agreed. I will keep you updated on the outcome of this meeting in due course.
You can watch my speech in full here.
Addressing flooding issues across the constituency
As MP, I chair the local flood forums - Worplesdon, Eastern Villages and Burpham – which bring together residents and agencies such as Surrey County Council, Thames Water and the Environment Agency to address ongoing flooding problems. It has become clear that communities across the constituency are experiencing flooding problems and I am looking at ways to ensure that the whole constituency gets the support it needs to address them.
Part of the problem with tackling flooding is funding, and on Thursday February 6th, I asked the Government to provide further details about how it will ensure communities like ours get the funding they need to address current flooding and mitigate for the growing issues we are experiencing in a holistic and sustainable way.
Community News
Guildford Flood Alleviation Scheme event
A public event for the Guildford Flood Alleviation Scheme is being held on Saturday, 22nd February, from 12–5pm at The Electric Theatre. You’ll be able to learn about progress on the project in the past year, next steps, and share your views.
There will also be members of the project team there to answer any of your questions. An online event follows on Wednesday, 26th February, 7:30–8:30pm. More information is available on the project website and you can sign up for the project newsletter by emailing guildfordfloodscheme@environment-agency.gov.uk.
Update on the North Street regeneration
Work is underway on the North Street regeneration project with more preparation work set to take place over the next few months.
Woodbridge Road has closed, with diversions expected to remain in place until approximately April 2026, at which people Leapale Road will be made two way.
Meanwhile, utility diversion work has begun on North Street and Leapale Road, laying the groundwork for the next phase of the project.
St Edward has begun installed hoarding and scaffolding in preparation for the first demolition. This will create space for the new town square that will form the centrepiece of the regeneration.
On Monday 3 February, demolition work began. The first buildings to be removed will be the Old Post Office and others fronting North Street and Woodbridge Road. As this work progresses, pedestrian zones and hoarding lines will be put in place to ensure safety for all.
The final service diversions are taking place along North Street and at the junction with Woodbridge Road.
Despite the scale of the work, local businesses outside the development site will remain open as usual, so residents are encouraged to continue supporting them.
With each step, North Street is moving closer to a vibrant new future. Further updates will follow as the project continues.
Transport for the South East public consultation
Last month, Transport for the South East (TfSE) published its Draft Transport Strategy, outlining a vision for the region’s transport future based on five key missions: strategic connectivity, resilience, inclusion and integration, decarbonisation, and sustainable growth.
A public consultation on the strategy is now open until March 7th, and your feedback would be greatly valued. You can share your thoughts here.
Rail replacement buses over the February half term
Engineers will be working between Portsmouth Harbour, Havant and Fareham between Saturday 15th and Friday 21st February. All routes into Portsmouth will be affected, with rail replacement busses in operation. Please check before you travel and plan accordingly. You can learn more on the South Western Railway website.
And finally...
Thank you for taking the time to read my latest update. If you have any friends or family that you think might be interested in hearing from me, please encourage them to sign up via my website.
I'm here to work for you. If you need my help, have any comments or suggestions, or if you feel there is a pressing issue you’d like me to raise, I’d love to hear from you. You can reach me at zoe.franklin.mp@parliament.uk.