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Local News

Surrey is changing "whether we like it" or not and county council leader Tim Oliver says it is better to be at the forefront of that change. 

SurreyLive

The leaders of Surrey’s 11 borough and district councils will oppose any move by Surrey County Council to postpone the county council elections scheduled to take place on May 1.

Guildford Dragon, BBC Surrey

Mark Nuti, SCC Cabinet Member for Health & Wellbeing, and Public Health, spoke to BBC Radio Surrey about Warm Welcome spaces across the county in the wake of the recent cold weather.

BBC Radio Surrey (starts at 2:44:23)

Venues offering a warm drink and support services are expecting a busy few days as temperatures drop.

BBC Surrey

A month-long exhibition is being held at Surrey History Centre to honour the victims of a Nazi extermination programme responsible for killing 70,000 people during the Holocaust.

BBC Surrey

National News

Rachel Reeves is reportedly set to tighten Whitehall public service budgets further than expected in the Spending Review because of the challenging economic outlook.

Sky News: Chancellor on course to tighten Whitehall budgets further due to worsening economic outlook

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has denied that local government reorganisation will impact on councils' ability to deliver services, during questioning by MPs on the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee.
MJ: Deputy prime minister Angela Rayner has denied that local government reorganisation will impact on councils’ ability to deliver services (£)

Data released by carehome.co.uk – a comparison site which helps people search for residential care – reveals older people are nearly a third more likely to go into a home in January.

i paper: Older people are nearly a third more likely to go into a care home after New Year

Patients have been warned of two-day waits in A&E as nine hospitals around the country declared critical incidents and the NHS struggles to cope with the winter flu crisis.

Times: Hospitals warn of two-day A&E waits after declaring critical incidents (£)

The Institute for Fiscal Studies says costs will outpace funding for schools in 2025/26.

Guardian: Rising costs force 'difficult choices' on schools

New style inspections for special education needs provision will "hold the right people to account for the right thing", Ofsted officials told the Education Select Committee yesterday.

LGC: Ofsted: Send inspections will ‘hold the right people to account’ (£)

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will have its second reading in Parliament today.

Telegraph: Plan to strip academies of their freedoms (£)

Private landlords will be banned from asking tenants for several months’ of rent payments in advance.

i paper: Landlords to be banned from demanding several months’ rent in advance

Planning permission was granted for just 2,260 properties between July and September, the lowest number on record according to the Home Builders Federation.
Mail: Planning permissions drop to record low (£)

A series of yellow weather warnings covering the next few days are active - with the latest warning over ice in parts of northern Wales, as well as areas in central and northern England.

BBC Online: Sub-zero temperatures across UK as floods remain

Wednesday’s national newspaper front pages