Major Restructure of Surrey Councils Confirmed

The government has approved sweeping changes to the structure of local government in Surrey. The existing system of one county council and 11 district/borough councils will be abolished and replaced by two new unitary authorities, known provisionally as “East Surrey” and “West Surrey”.

As part of the process, a £500 million bailout has been agreed to address the financial crisis affecting some councils in the area.

What this means

• All twelve of the current councils (the county council plus the 11 district/borough councils) will be dissolved and their responsibilities transferred to the two new unitary authorities.  
• Residents will deal with one council instead of two layers (county + district) for most services.  
• The new authorities are expected to begin operating in April 2027, once various legal and structural steps have been completed.  
• Council tax and service arrangements are likely to change over time as the new authorities align their budgets and systems.  

Why the change?

• The two-tier system (county + district) has been judged less efficient and harder to manage, particularly in dealing with major services like social care, highways and housing.  
• The councils in Surrey face very large levels of debt and financial risk, making the build-up of larger, stronger authorities an attractive option to improve resilience.  
• The government’s guidance for reorganisation suggests new unitary authorities should serve populations of around 500,000 or more, to deliver savings and stability.  

What about our parish and local services?

• For residents of Ash Parish and the surrounding area: many of the day-to-day services you rely on (waste collection, planning applications, local housing issues, leisure) will in future be handled by one of the two new unitary authorities instead of separate district and county councils.
• The timing means we’re likely still under the current structure until around 2027, so you should expect only gradual changes.
• It will be important for us locally (as a parish) to keep engaged with the process, for example, when consultations are held on how the new authorities will arrange their services and harmonise policies and budgets.
• The question of how council tax rates might change is open while there is no immediate hike announced, the merging of different councils with different tax levels means harmonisation work will happen.  

What next?

• The government will complete the statutory consultation and legal steps required to bring the two new authorities into being.  
• Local authorities will form “shadow” bodies in the lead‐up to the change, to plan and prepare.  
• Residents and parish councils like ours will be consulted on how services should be delivered under the new structure, let’s stay alert for these opportunities to have a say.

Image source: www.surreycc.gov.uk