John Orrick

1950-2020

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Councillor John Orrick. After many months’ valiantly fighting leukaemia, he died peacefully of an infection on Tuesday, 10 November 2020. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Annie and family.

First elected to Tandridge Council in 1997 John has represented the people of Queens Park and Caterham Hill on the Parish, District and County Councils.

There are few councillors who instinctively attracted such warmth of feeling across party divisions as John Orrick. A naturally good humoured man liked by both political friend and opponent. His passions and dedication right up to the very last to the people he represented will be his testament.

John’s family has asked for privacy at this time and we ask that this is respected. Arrangements and memorials will be advised.

Surrey Liberal Democrats are calling to extend free school meals so that no child living in poverty misses out - even during holidays and periods of lockdown.

Last night, Tory MP’s including East Surrey M.P. Claire Coutinho, voted against a motion to continue funding free school meals over the school holidays until Easter 2021. This bill was introduced following the campaign by footballer Marcus Rashford.

Whyteleafe Liberal Democrat Councillors are celebrating an award of £502,000 to Whyteleafe’s Station Road surgery to support the expansion of its premises and the upgrading of services to its patients. The money comes from a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) fund and was awarded by the District Council’s Strategy and Resources Committee at the 22ndSeptember meeting.

New council homes will be zero carbon in Tandridge thanks to local Lib Dem councillors’ climate change initiative. Last night’s Tandridge Housing Committee agreed to build a trial 12 new net zero carbon council houses in Caterham. This follows the Liberal Democrat Councillors introducing a motion to declare a climate emergency earlier this year which was supported by all councillors with the exception of the two Harestone Conservative Councillors.

Today the Tories who run Surrey County Council have announced their plans to try and abolish all the District Councils in Surrey and hoover them up into a single monster Surrey Council running everything from planning and refuse collection through to schools and roads- all from Kingston. Details are currently limited and no details of how such a change would be implemented were given, other than it is anticipated that all District Councils will cease to exist.