Local Government Reorganisation in Surrey

Whether we like it or not, local government in Surrey will be changing in the next couple of years. After 2027, Spelthorne will cease to exist, and the 11 borough councils will be replaced by two or three large unitary authorities. These new authorities will also assume many of the responsibilities of the County Council.

The areas covered by the new unitary councils will be determined by the government. Liberal Democrat councillors across Surrey are pushing hard for there to be three new councils, so that decisions are made on the most local basis possible. After the new councils are in place, a new strategic body will be established, to be led by a Surrey mayor. This will have control on certain strategic issues like the economy and regional planning – similar to Manchester or the West Midlands. The main objective of the changes is to save money by rationalising local government. However, the new authorities will start life in very difficult financial circumstances due to the debts inherited, most notably those run up by Woking’s Conservatives, but also from Spelthorne, Runnymede and Surrey. In addition, the new councils will be responsible for the current Surrey services for adult social care and for young people, both of which are currently stretched to breaking point. 

Council tax for each unitary will be “harmonised”, which in Spelthorne will mean an increase, but of less than 1%. In order to provide consistent services to residents, all the non-mandatory services the boroughs provide will have to be reviewed, and this means that some of Spelthorne’s existing services will be under threat.

Because of these changes there will be no elections until 2026, when the new unitary authority is formed, ready to take over in April 2027. If the county elections had taken place in May 2025, the Conservatives at Surrey would have lost control because of their failures and poor management. The new council will need strong local councillors to take on the challenge, and the Liberal Democrats are ready and able.