Andrew is a local resident, business owner and councillor. He has lived in Elmbridge with his wife for 30 years and has raised his two children here. He has set up the world's first climate neutral motoring organisation which has been voted Britain’s most ethical insurer. He is deputy leader of Elmbridge Council and has been a councillor for the last five years.
Andrew is passionate about this community and the people within it. Aware of the disconnect between central government and the community, Andrew wants to engage with people at a local level and get them more involved. He cares about the people in this community and wants to represent your views in Parliament. He wants to do what’s right for the people of Esher and Walton.
He wants to see an improved Esher and Walton - for everyone who lives here. That means improving the local economy, and investing more in education and healthcare.
He wants to keep Britain in the Single Market - which will increase prosperity in the area - more jobs, more businesses, and more security.
He opposes the Heathrow airport expansion which will damage our community and he wants to protect the Green Belt from overdevelopment.
Andrew works hard in the community to gain an understanding of what is important to local people. He does this by being accessible, by asking the people who live here what their issues are and listening to what they have to say. He wants to know what is important to you.
It is essential to Andrew that he truly represents what the people here think and he will do his best to put your views forward and act in your interest at national government level.
Andrew knows that staying in the Single Market is essential for our economic prosperity. He is determined to stop the Conservatives from imposing a disastrous “hard Brexit” on us all. A “hard Brexit” will mean leaving the all the benefits of membership with no gains - saying goodbye to the free trade agreement we have with Europe.
If elected, he will fight to remain in the Single Market and for the national government to put its deal to the British people before it is finalised.
Nationally we are divided about whether to leave the EU. In Elmbridge, we are clear. The referendum result showed that the majority here did not want to leave the EU at all - let alone the Single Market. Yet, the former MP and now Conservative candidate here, Dominic Raab, campaigned hard for Leave and made Brexit happen - he wants us out of the Single Market whatever the cost.
The Conservatives are telling you that only they have a plan to secure the best deal for the country. Yet, their plan will pull us out of the Single Market, which will result in large companies leaving the UK, and job losses for British people - a disaster for our economy. This is already happening and will only get worse. The Conservatives’ plan will make us poorer.
Think about it. The Single Market, the largest and most powerful single market in the world. It was created by the British, it was expanded by the British, it benefits Britain more than any other member state. And the Conservatives want us to leave? Does that make sense to you?
The Liberal Democrats’ plan is to keep Britain in the Single Market, meaning that our companies - large and small - can sell anywhere in Europe just as they do in Britain - this is not possible with a trade deal - however advantageous to us. Also large companies will continue to invest here, jobs will be safer, and the economy will remain strong.
We want to continue to trade freely with Europe - it has been good for our jobs, good for our business and good for our peace and security. It is this free trade that increases our prosperity and helps pay for public services such as the NHS and schools.
To keep Britain in the Single Market, vote for Andrew Davis, Liberal Democrat.
The Liberal Democrats will deliver better health and social care. We will give the NHS and social care the vital funding they need.
At our local hospitals, patients are lying on trolleys in hospital corridors, urgent operations are being cancelled, and the elderly are being denied the care they need. Our NHS is in crisis. But it doesn’t have to be this way. We can save our NHS.
The Liberal Democrats plan to invest an extra £6bn a year in our NHS and social care system; paid for through an immediate 1p rise in all rates of income tax. That’s an extra £33 for someone on £15,000 a year and £383 for a salary of £50,000. It’s not a massive amount but it will make a huge difference to the way we care for the ill and elderly.
This funding will only be spent on the NHS and social care and will provide vital services with the money they desperately need.
The alternative to raising taxes to fund the NHS and social care is cutting drastically from other essential public services, like schools and welfare, as the Conservatives have done to disastrous effect. It has to stop.
Providing more money is not enough. We will also make the NHS more effective, invest in preventative healthcare, and bring the NHS and social care systems together so patients get the care they need when they need it. Bringing what works best to all parts of the health and social care service.
To provide high-quality healthcare for all - vote for Andrew Davis, Liberal Democrat.
The Liberal Democrats believe we need an education system which delivers opportunities for all young people and is well funded so that our children continue to thrive.
Local schools in Esher and Walton are under threat from Conservative cuts in budgets per child. A devastating £3bn of cuts means an 8% cut per pupil by 2020. And there are further cuts in support and improvement provision.
Andrew wants to see more school places for local children, to invest more funding per child and more top-quality state schools.
The Conservatives will tell you that they are investing more than ever in schools, but the truth is that funding per pupil is decreasing.
In fact, over 3,500 Surrey headteachers (responsible for 1.5 million children) recently issued a public statement (see PDF here) saying the “education system is at financial breaking point” and that it is “gravely concerned about the Conservative Department for Education’s spending proposals”. They say that the government is “refusing to acknowledge that school funding is in crisis.”
With these Conservative cuts, we can expect fewer teachers, larger classes, less equipment, poorer maintenance - cuts in every area. How will our children’s schools cope?
Locally, Esher High is going to lose 9% of its budget - that’s the same as 14 teachers. Rydens in Hersham will lose 12% of it’s budget - that ‘s over £700 per pupil. See how much your local school is set to lose here. (from www.schoolcuts.org.uk)
In some cases, schools will have to move to a four-day week, unable to finance a full five days of education for our children. Other headteachers are asking parents to contribute a monthly amount of £15 per child - just to cover the shortfall. How can this happen, in one of the wealthiest places in the world?
This is not the way forward for our education system.
Instead of diverting substantial funds to grammar schools, academies and free schools, he believes we should be investing in more top-quality state schools by increasing funding per child. The Liberal Democrats will stop the government constantly tinkering with the system - educators know the best way to educate and teachers should be allowed to focus on teaching.
The Liberal Democrats have promised to invest £7bn in schools - specifically to protect per pupil funding. This will be funded by raising corporation tax to 20% and abolishing the married couples tax allowance. The rest of the funding would come from the £100bn in revenue that Britain would hold onto by opting to stay in the EU's Single Market.
For well-funded education for our children’s future, more top quality state schools and to stop these cuts in education - vote for Andrew Davis, Liberal Democrat.
Andrew supports building well-designed homes for the people of Esher and Walton, but they must be in the right place and infrastructure must be an integrated part of the development plan.
Andrew believes that our Green Belt is vital - it is there to separate Elmbridge from London and to stop our towns and villages running into each other. Yet the national government is threatening to override the wishes of Elmbridge residents by forcing Elmbridge to consider opening up the Green Belt. Andrew will campaign vigorously to protect Elmbridge against this onslaught from Westminster.
Andrew supports building social and affordable homes for the people of Esher and Walton and supports Elmbridge in its plans to do so. Elmbridge can build within existing settlements and on brownfield sites. The national government undermines the efforts of Elmbridge housing agencies by forcing them to sell houses at a discount without compensation.
With this area being one of the most expensive places in the in the country to live, it is difficult for young people, our children and grandchildren to rent or own a home here. They are priced out of the market. As are many people who provide key services for us - in education, health and social care.
The government has called for more affordable housing and Andrew agrees that it is needed for the people in Esher and Walton. But, he believes the houses must be well-designed and the impact on infrastructure must be properly considered.
We cannot build more houses, increasing the number of people within an area - and not plan for more schools, more doctors surgeries, additional train services and increased traffic. Housing plans must take into account the needs of the local community and the infrastructure that is currently in place.
Under current national government demands Elmbridge has assessed a need for finding 9,500 new houses over the next twenty years. Andrew will challenge the basis by which the national government calculates these figures.
Andrew wants to see sensible housing planning that protects the Green Belt. Andrew believes that our Green Belt is vital - to separate Elmbridge from London and to stop towns and villages running into each other. It should be protected.
Housing development on a large scale like this has a huge impact on the infrastructure and character of our area. It will need huge amounts of additional investment - into roads, schools, and services.The funding for infrastructure development is not guaranteed once the houses are built, so Esher and Walton’s services are likely to be even more stretched if that goes ahead without considering it.
New housing developments are needed, but development must take into consideration the impact on infrastructure alongside the needs of the people who live in Esher and Walton.
For sensible planning for housing in Esher & Walton and to protect the Green Belt - vote for Andrew Davis, Liberal Democrat.
Heathrow expansion plans supported by the Conservatives will see more more flights over Esher and Walton, increasing noise, traffic to Heathrow, congestion and air pollution. The airport already breaches its legal air pollution limits on a regular basis.
Why would anyone allow it to expand when it already breaks the rules?
With the airport’s air pollution levels already consistently above legal limits, expanding Heathrow will increase them further. Not just with the additional flights landing and departing, but with the increased traffic travelling to and from the airport.
The air pollution limits are there to protect us. Yet, Heathrow consistently breaches its limits - putting local people at risk. A major environmental risk to health, air pollution makes us ill and contributes to 40,000 deaths per year (figures from the Royal College of Physicians and of Paediatrics and Child Health) in Britain. It has been linked to cancer, asthma, stroke and heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and changes linked to dementia.
The expansion will mean:
Heathrow cannot be allowed to expand when it cannot even work today within the laws on air quality. Andrew believes that Heathrow was built in the wrong place - no other developed nation builds airports to the west of its cities because it does not make sense - therefore he is against the expansion plans and will work hard to oppose them.
To stop the Heathrow expansion - vote for Andrew Davis, Liberal Democrat.
The Liberal Democrats are funded by our members and people who believe in them - not unions or big business. We rely on people like you to help us - on small donations from our supporters. Every pound helps. Please donate what you can to help the Liberal Democrats win in Esher and Walton.
Everyone who volunteers for the Liberal Democrats makes a difference to the campaign and increases our chance of winning here in Esher and Walton.
We need people to spread the word about Andrew Davis and his campaign, as well as people to help out with campaign activities.
There are many ways to get involved and we need your help. You can make the difference to the Liberal Democrats winning here.
