Cllr Tony Fairclough joins Liberal Democrats from Farnham Residents

The Waverley Liberal Democrats are pleased to welcome our 23rd Waverley Borough Councillor, Cllr Tony Fairclough (WBC, Farnham Heath End), who has joined us this week following his departure from the Farnham Residents Party.

Cllr Fairclough was elected in May 2023 and currently serves as Deputy Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Enforcement and Regulatory Services. 

Cllr Paul Follows (LD Group Leader and Leader of Waverley Borough Council) said, ‘I am thrilled that Tony has decided to join us. He is one of the hardest working and most dedicated councillors at Waverley with a history of service to the residents of Farnham and of Waverley, much of it behind the scenes and without fanfare. 

He will be a huge asset for our group and our ongoing work across our borough, supporting our mission to be a liberal, compassionate and professional group that can represent all residents, wherever they live in Waverley.’

Cllr Tony Fairclough said, ‘I am proud of the time that I have spent as a Farnham Residents Councillor and recognise the excellent work that they continue to do, particularly on the Town Council.

However, Local Government Reorganisation and the upcoming Unitary elections in Surrey next May will see Farnham as part of a new authority, one that will face significant challenges in terms of both the services it is required to provide and the finances available to pay for them.

Faced with such challenges, in my opinion, Farnham cannot afford to be parochial.’

While local issues, particularly with respect to planning, will continue to be of paramount importance to the people of Farnham, I believe that our residents will be best served by a ‘louder voice’ and a greater presence within the new Unitary Council.

With that in mind, I’m delighted to join the Liberal Democrats, a party that I see as being capable of acting locally from a national perspective.”