Council chambers across Surrey to hold talks over future of local government

EXTRAORDINARY meetings will be held in Surrey council chambers next week as members agree their preferred way forward in a new-look local government set-up.

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Differences between some of the county's authorities appear not to have been ironed out since draft proposals were submitted to the Government in March.

Most of Surrey’s boroughs and districts are still in favour of creating three new unitary authorities in place of the existing two-tier structure.

Surrey County Council, along with Elmbridge Borough Council, still thinks creating two unitaries is the best way forward. Reigate and Banstead Borough Council meanwhile is also still planning to submit yet another option, in which it partners with West Sussex's Crawley Borough Council.

Councillors will be asked to agree their position before the final proposals are submitted to Whitehall - which will have the final say - by next Friday (May 9).