TeamSurrey calls for independent audit of Surrey City Hall construction costs and better relations with provincial government

CIVIC SURREY SURREYFIRST TEAM

TEAMSURREY of Brenda Locke and Stephen Gammer are calling for an external, independent audit of Surrey City Hall construction costs, and better relations with the provincial government in order to benefit Surrey.

Gammer, a commercial real estate agent, calling for the City Hall audit, noted: “It’s about time that the taxpayers of the city know exactly what the costs were for the construction of the new City Hall.  Surrey First has failed to disclose this information, despite numerous requests for it.  There needs to be an external and independent audit now.  And I am happy to have the support of OneSurrey candidate Brian Young.”

Gammer added: “If elected, the TeamSurrey members of Council will make it their job to ask the tough questions and get the right answers.  This is only one questionable capital project – there may be more.”

Locke stressed the need for Surrey’s city government to have an improved and more functional relationship with the provincial government.  Locke, a former MLA for Surrey-Green Timbers and a former BC Liberal minister of state for mental health and addiction services, said she had already been in contact with members of the current BC Liberal government regarding Surrey’s needs for social housing and assistance for the homeless.  The BC government has already indicated their willingness to work with more constructive members of Surrey’s city government in an attempt to meet the needs of BC’s fastest growing city. Lack of action on the Purpose Built building for Surrey’s homeless lies squarely on the inability of Surrey Council to commit to an appropriate location, she noted.

Locke said: “I have good relationships with members of our provincial government and will work with them in the best interest of the City of Surrey. I know there are significant opportunities to improve the existing relationship between our two levels of government.  If elected, I will rely on my existing relationships with those members of the government to obtain Surrey’s fair share of social infrastructure funding – which the current city government has not viewed as a priority.  The fact is, without the assistance of the Province, Surrey will not be able to address the pressing issues of homelessness and social housing, to name but two, with any hope of success.”