Surrey County Council have just launched a public consultation about the shape of its services in the future to help it set a sustainable budget. The consultation is now live and the Council wishes to hear the views of as many people as possible by Friday 4 January 2019.

The link below will take you to the online consultation form for the Libraries and Cultural Services department, which includes the work done by Surrey Heritage (archives, archaeology and conservation). Your views, and those of the members of Surrey Archaeological Society, are vitally important in determining the future direction of the Heritage service and they would greatly appreciate it if you would complete the short survey:

www.surreysays.co.uk/legal-and-democratic-services/libraries

At present the proposal is to reduce the Cultural Services budget for 2019/20 (covering Libraries, Heritage, Surrey Arts, Adult Learning and Registration) by more than half - from £8.7 million to £4 million.

We would particularly draw your attention to questions 2.1 and 4.3 in the survey where there is space for you to express your views more fully on the county's Heritage service and its future shape and role in meeting the Council's priorities.

For further information about the Consultation on Council services, please go to:

www.exploringsurreyspast.org.uk/consultation-on-council-services

Please take the time to respond to the consultation, as the proposed cut would, if implemented, have a dramatic effect on every aspect of the services provided including those at Surrey History Centre. Many of us work with or make use of the Surrey County Council services under review and will know how greatly research by ourselves and others will be affected if the proposed cuts go ahead. It would be a sad state of affairs if a county such as our own cannot adequately provide services such as these that enhance the quality of life and sense of place for all our residents and visitors.

We should be proud of Surrey's rich heritage and those providing the support services deserve our backing.

David Bird

SyAS President