Public gets last chance to have say on councils

TWO OPTIONS FOR FUTURE OF SURREY LOCAL GOVERNMENT

- By JOSEPH BICKLE

AS the end of Surrey’s current two-tier council system looms, the Government has called upon the public to share their opinions on the future of local government in the county.

Surrey’s county and borough councils submitted their proposals for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) by the May 9 deadline, leaving it in the hands of the Government to decide on Surrey’s future structure.

Full implementation is planned for April 2027.

Two options are still on the table - splitting the county into either two or three unitary authorities - but the Government has rejected an option mooted by Crawley and Reigate and Banstead Borough Councils to merge their two authorities.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government consultation is open to all residents, businesses, voluntary groups, and local organisations. It’s the last chance for the public to comment on the proposals.

The options are:

■Two unitary councils: East Surrey (Elmbridge, Epsom and Ewell, Mole Valley, Reigate and Banstead and Tandridge) and West Surrey (Guildford, Runnymede, Spelthorne, Surrey Heath, Waverley and Woking);