Campaigns

Since being selected as the candidate for Kingston

and Surbiton, Helen has been campaigning for

local health and social services. She fought to save

the Springboard Resource Centre from closure but

local health bosses would not give in. More

recently, she has campaigned for improved

maternity services at Kingston Hospital. ‘I had my

son at Kingston Hospital and saw for myself the

pressure midwives are under. The care was

generally good but there was clearly a shortage of

beds and staff. Morale among midwives is

desperately low’.

For years Surbiton Hospital has been underused

and run down. Helen was shocked at this waste of

resources and has been pushing for better use of the site. ‘At last Surbiton Hospital is set to become a vibrant hub of health and social services. I’m in touch with local doctors and community groups who share my view that this opportunity mustn’t be wasted.’

‘With so much focus on Surbiton Hospital, we mustn’t allow other parts of the Borough to be overlooked – particularly Chessington, as statistics show it’s the neighbourhood with the greatest health problems.’

Helen has secured national Conservative Party backing, in the event that Kingston Hospital comess under threat. The news from the local NHS however, is that a campaign to save the hospital at this time is 'irresponsible'

As well as the convenience of being able to swipe through the ticket barriers without queuing for a ticket (as you have enough credit on your Oyster card) it also means Oyster users have access to reduced Oyster fares. An off-peak single ticket from Surbiton to Waterloo costs £5, but now with Oyster it costs £3.20. Travelling from Surbiton to a Zone 1 tube station like Oxford Circus costs £7 with a paper ticket, but £6.00 with an Oyster in peak-time and £4.30 off-peak.

There’s still more to do to get us full Oyster service. Helen has written to SW Trains asking them to install Oyster ticket machines and support Oyster in the ticket office, so passengers will be able to top-up Oyster cards and buy tickets in our local stations just as you can in London underground stations. At the moment you can get Oyster tickets in local newsagents but not at stations – is this because SW Trains would rather we kept paying their higher paper-ticket fares?

Local shops and businesses

are vital to the Borough’s

communities and economy.

Yet across the Borough

(and the country) independent

shops are under threat and

small businesses are

struggling to keep going.

Small businesses are

overwhelmed by onerous

regulation and taxes, and the recession has made it even harder to keep afloat.

Support our Small Shops (and Businesses) is bringing together local business owners, managers and employees across Kingston & Surbiton (including Chessington, Hook, New Malden and Tolworth) to campaign for some small steps which would make a difference to their survival.

Business rates, parking, road works and local representation are all in the campaign’s sights. A Conservative government will simplify employment law and cancel Labour's planned increase in the small companies tax rate, cutting the rate instead. If you would like to get involved in this campaign please contact

business@kingstonconservatives.com.