Date:
An interim plan for the reorganisation of local government in Surrey was approved by the Executive during Wednesday night’s extraordinary meeting (19 March).
During the meeting, the Executive considered comments made by councillors at an extraordinary meeting of Full Council (Tuesday 18 March) on the interim plan before approving its submission to government.
Councils across Surrey have worked together to develop and agree the interim plan, drawn up in line with government criteria, which considers options for two or three unitary authorities for the county.
In February, the leaders of Surrey’s 11 district and borough councils and the Leader of Surrey County Council ruled out a single unitary authority.
The interim plan has two parts – Part A and Part B:
- Part A sets out how Surrey County Council and the district and borough councils are working together to progress local government reorganisation following the directive from the government.
- Part B sets out a reorganisation proposal drawn up by districts and boroughs and a proposal drawn up by Surrey County Council, which discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the different options.
Cllr Ann-Marie Barker, Leader of Woking Borough Council, said: “My fellow councillors and I are committed to delivering the best possible outcome for our residents.
“We are still considering both the two and three unitary models, though the latter appears to be the preferred option among those who expressed a preference. A more detailed plan will be considered by Council and Executive in late April.
“However, the Government’s timeline for finalising the plan leaves limited opportunity for thorough evaluation and resident engagement. Despite these challenges, we remain committed to involving residents and businesses as much as possible."
“In the meantime, we will continue to work in partnership with councils across Surrey, our partners and residents to achieve our shared vision for Surrey.”
The interim plan must be submitted to government by 21 March and a full plan by 9 May. The government is expected to make its decision in the autumn.