One of the issues I’ve been raising in Parliament recently is the decision by Surrey County Council to end the free school meal holiday voucher scheme.

This scheme has provided vital support to families across Surrey, ensuring that children who rely on free school meals during term time do not go without during the holidays. For many families, it offers peace of mind that their child will have access to at least one proper meal a day, even when school is closed.

I have called on Surrey County Council to urgently reconsider this decision and have raised the issue directly in Parliament.

Schools play a critical role not just in education, but in safeguarding and supporting children’s wellbeing. They are often the first place where concerns about a child’s welfare are identified, and the support they provide extends far beyond the classroom.

Removing the holiday voucher scheme risks leaving some of the most vulnerable children without a crucial safety net. At a time when many families are already struggling with the cost of living, this is deeply concerning.

No child in Woking, or anywhere in Surrey, should go hungry simply because it is the school holidays.

I will continue to press Surrey County Council to reverse this decision and work with schools, local organisations and the Government to ensure that children and families receive the support they need all year round.

[Link to PR on website]

https://www.willforster.co.uk/news/article?tx_news_pi1%5Baction%5D=detail&tx_news_pi1%5Bcontroller%5D=News&tx_news_pi1%5Bnews%5D=122058&cHash=0b0455d9d49776a5dd41cf592fdcbc5c

Last week marked two years since the General Election. It’s been whirlwind, working to deliver change under an endlessly changing government. I’ve lost track of how many different ministers have represented the various government departments I’ve worked with!

By the end of next week, we’ll have a new Prime Minister, and I hope that he brings with him the stability needed to bring real change. With nearly 20 policy U-turns under Starmer, it’s hard to imagine it can be much worse!

Despite the turmoil, I’m incredibly proud of what I’ve achieved in these two years.

I’ve worked hard to deliver for Woking through extensive casework – supporting local residents with an enormous range of issues – from pension problems, to housing, complex child support cases and more, it’s at the heart of everything I do.

I’ve also been working hard in Westminster, having already spoken in Parliament more times than my predecessor did in 14 years – and within that work I’ve had some notable wins! I thought I’d highlight three of them today...

Securing an unprecedented £500 million write off for Woking’s debt

Even before being elected, I knew that Woking Borough Council’s vast debts were going to be top of the agenda if I became the MP. I’m delighted that after many months of lobbying the Government finally agreed to provide support through a historic £500 million debt write-off.

This is the first time a government has ever written off an individual local authority’s debt before. We’re not out of the woods – there is still a huge amount of debt to contend with – but the government have conceded that more support will be needed in the future.

I’ll continue working with colleagues to ensure that the new West Surrey Council doesn’t start life on the back foot.

Improving protections for vulnerable children

Countless parents and guardians have contacted me about Surrey County Council’s failing children's services. These horror stories sadly come as no surprise. The safeguarding report into the tragic murder of Sara Sharif made it abundantly clear that she was badly let down by social services – and that change is needed to prevent something like this happening again.

I have repeatedly raised this with the Government, including directly with the soon to be ex-Prime Minister, and I’m pleased that they are listening and progress is being made. I’ve helped change the law so that people who are under suspicion of child abuse can’t homeschool their children to hide it.

More still needs to be done. We need national reforms, stronger early intervention, mandatory information sharing and tougher oversight of high-risk cases. I will continue pushing to strengthen services and improve funding to protect children now, not when it is too late.

Securing funding for Goldsworth Park Neighbourhood Health Centre

I’m also pleased to have helped secure funding for a new Neighbourhood Health Centre in Goldsworth Park. This money will see Goldsworth Park Health Centre expand which will increase the number and range of appointments available to patients.

Having a one stop shop of GPs, nurses, physios, mental health workers and much more is a great investment for Woking and residents. I will continue working with NHS leaders to ensure that Woking gets the modern, accessible health it deserves.

Continuing to stand up for breweries and pubs

As many of us know, earlier this year our beloved brewery, Thurston’s closed its doors for the last time. This was Woking’s only local brewery, and whilst the owner - John - has managed to keep the Crown pub open next door, he’ll no longer be able to serve his own beers – much of the blame must fall on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).

This tax means pubs and breweries are paying twice to get rid of glass bottles. If the government doesn’t abolish or amend EPR, we’ll continue to lose more of our beloved pubs and breweries if no change is made and I know that I am not the only one who is afraid of that future.

EPR has harmed countless local businesses, which is why I have continued to speak in Parliament against this economically damaging tax. I see how it is affecting the people of Woking. We have business owners struggling to survive and not only that but the loss of pubs and breweries is also a loss to our community. What is most astonishing is that our EPR tax is higher than anyone else in Europe!

That is why I have requested a roundtable meeting with other MPs and more importantly local business owners to come together to find the best path forward. I will not let the Government continue to be ignorant of the hardships of our local businesses.

Watch me question why our EPR tax is so much higher than Europe

Surrey has the third largest local authority spend on home-to-school transport in the country. Despite this, many parents and carers in Woking contact me because they are still struggling to get the home- to-school transport that their children need.

At the last count, Surrey County Council spent over £65 million on home-to-school transport in one year alone – most of which was on transport for children with special educational needs.

Because Surrey County Council has failed to properly invest in SEND school places, children are being forced to travel for their education. This pushes yet more cars onto our already congested road network and – and leaves the council with an astronomical transport bill.

The current system isn’t working for anyone – not parents, carers, taxpayers or the wider community. I've heard harrowing stories of children being directing onto unsafe routes, simply so the council can avoid providing transport. One young girl was told to walk down an unlit country lane with no pavement.

In Parliament, I’ve pushed for capital investment to build more SEND places – an invest-to-save approach that reduces transport costs and improves lives. With Surrey County Council being replaced in ten months, I’ll be working hard to ensure its failings aren't inherited by the new authority.

Watch my speech

Protecting vulnerable children has been central to my work since being elected as Woking’s MP – whether that be improving child protection rules following the appalling murder of Sara Sharif or supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities. I feel very passionately about the need to protect our most vulnerable members of society.

This week, I’ve had the opportunity to show my support for vulnerable children across the globe at the Soccer Aid for UNICEF Parliamentary Reception. This event celebrated 20 years of Soccer Aid, which has raised an extraordinary £121 million to support children worldwide.

It was fantastic to hear about all the incredible projects this money has supported abroad – and I also got the chance to meet legendary former England, Arsenal and Soccer Aid goalkeeper, David Seaman.

The generosity shown by all those who donate is a testament to the incredible humanitarian spirit we have here in the UK – further evidenced by a showcase from UNICEF UK’s OutRight programme, which shares the views of hundreds of UK school children on international development. I’m delighted that this positive spirit has passed on to the next generation.

Woking MP Will Forster has demanded Surrey County Council reconsider its decision to end the free school meal holiday voucher scheme, warning that vulnerable children could lose an important safety net. Mr Forster raised the issue in Parliament on the 10th of March, warning the government of the risk it puts struggling families and their children in. He has also put forward a motion in Parliament calling on Surrey County Council to urgently reconsider the decision to end free school meal vouchers.

The scheme, which provides supermarket vouchers to families whose children receive free school meals during school holidays, has supported families across Surrey during periods when children are not in school.

Mr Forster said schools play a vital role not only in education but also in ensuring children’s wellbeing, including making sure they are receiving regular meals. The motion in Parliament is an Early Day Motion (EDM) calling on Surrey County Council to urgently reconsider the decision as it will deprive children of a healthy meal. 

Speaking about the decision, Will Forster MP said:

“Schools are one of the most important places where we can make sure children are safe, supported and getting the nutrition they need.

“For many families, free school meals provide the reassurance that their child will eat at least one proper meal a day. During school holidays, the voucher scheme has helped bridge that gap.

“Ending this support risks leaving some of the most vulnerable children without that safety net.”

Mr Forster also highlighted the wider safeguarding role schools play in supporting children and families.

“Schools are often the first place where concerns about a child’s wellbeing are noticed. Ensuring children remain supported outside term time is an important part of protecting their welfare.

“I urge Surrey County Council to reconsider this decision and work with schools and local communities to ensure no child goes hungry during the holidays.”

Mr Forster said he will continue to raise the issue with Surrey County Council and push for continued support for families and children who rely on free school meals.

Will Forster, Liberal Democrat MP for Woking, has called for urgent government support for Woking High School and asked Sir Keir Starmer during Prime Minister’s Questions to visit the school to inspect the crumbling classrooms himself.

Mr Forster, who previously attended Woking High School, recently visited the school met with staff, students and the school council before being shown around several of the site’s ageing buildings.

Many of the classrooms, built in the 1960s, remain in use today despite significant deterioration. School leaders explained that the school has repeatedly been unsuccessful in securing funding through the government’s Condition Improvement Fund (CIF), leaving them without the resources needed to repair or replace the buildings.

The school’s operational team also showed Mr Forster damaged classrooms where temporary fixes are being used to keep facilities operational. Staff said the buildings become extremely hot in summer and freezing in winter, with some wall panels deteriorating to the point where holes expose the outside elements, contributing to damp and mould. The visit also included a condemned building taken out of use last year after the roof partially collapsed and the floor began to rot.

Raising the issue in the House of Commons at Prime Minister’s questions, Mr Forster said:

“Last month I visited my old secondary school; Woking High. I saw classrooms built in the 1960s — they were only meant to last 20 years, yet they are still in use and being held together by gaffa tape.

I walked into my old music classroom; it had a huge hole in the roof and I nearly fell through the rotting floor. It was condemned last year, but I can still remember the stench of mould.

Mr Speaker, will the Prime Minister agree to come to Woking High School with me to see how bad it is, and ensure that my old school urgently gets the funding it needs so my young constituents can learn in a school fit for the 21st century?”

Prime Minister’s response:

The Prime Minister declined the invitation to come to Woking, however did assure that Mr Forster can have a meeting with the Minister for Education about Woking High School’s crumbling classrooms in the near future. 

Following the visit last month, Mr Forster said he would continue to press the government to secure funding so that pupils in Woking can learn in safe, modern facilities.