THE new Conservative county councillor for Farnham South, Wyatt Ramsdale, has put traffic, parking and pot holes at the top of his to-do list following his success at the ballot box last Thursday.

Mr Ramsdale fought off stiff competition from Farnham Residents’ party leader Jerry Hyman to win the Farnham South by-election by 178 votes, a winning margin of eight per cent.

This margin is dramatically reduced from his Tory predecessor David Munro’s comfortable 34 per cent at the 2013 election, however, and with another county council election to follow next May, Mr Ramsdale has vowed to waste no time in campaigning on behalf of his constituents.

Mr Ramsdale told The Herald that traffic is top of his list of priorities and he is keen to understand and work with local action groups to reduce speeding in South Farnham, and especially Rowledge.

He said: “We all know that vehicles travel too quickly through where we live and not just on the main roads. We need traffic calming measures that slow traffic but do not adversely impact our emergency services.”

Mr Ramsdale recently pledged his support for increased road marking, visual narrowing, village gateways and a core area restricted to 20mph in Rowledge, and he agrees on the need for further safer crossing points of the A287 in the Bourne.

He added traffic calming on the A325 is not enough and supports the need for a by-pass of Holt Pound and Wrecclesham - though recognising this would involve considerable expense and needs both Hampshire and Surrey councils to work together.

Parking is also a hot topic for Mr Ramsdale, and he supports the need to introduce parking restrictions in “relevant areas” of Farnham - specifically within walking distance of the station and town centre, “so the needs of residents are not prohibited by visitors parking long-term”.

On pot holes, he added: “Problems with pot holes in the road and pavements in poor condition continue and need to be addressed. Surrey County Council is investing £6 million in repairing damaged pavements across the county. Local councillors need to make sure that Farnham receives a fair share of this investment."

Mr Ramsdale praised Surrey County Council for making “significant” investment in local schools, notably St Peter’s and Weydon in his division, and he believes this investment will need to continue “especially if parents and children are to get a school of their choice”.

He has also vowed to fight “inappropriate” development and believes his experience as a chartered accountant and management consultant, and as a borough councillor since 2013 and until recently a member of Waverley’s executive committee, stands him in good stead to help Surrey respond to its financial challenges.

The Surrey County Council by-election for Farnham South was called after David Munro stood down following his election as the Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey. Just 23 per cent of the 9,952 people eligible to vote did so, down from 34 per cent at the last election.