Surrey council to ask for elections to be postponed

Elections in Surrey could be postponed for a year, after the county council agreed to write to the government to request a delay, as part of plans to reform local authorities.

At a Surrey County Council cabinet meeting, it was decided that the leader, Tim Oliver, will send a letter to ministers, asking if elections due this May can be held in 2026 instead.

The council says that will allow for time to put together proposals for a major reorganisation of local government in the region, after ministers outlined plans for changes in December.

But the proposed postponement of the elections is being opposed by the leaders of Surrey's 11 district and borough councils as well as several MPs and other councillors.

Oliver's letter asks the government to "give us the time to work with the leaders of Surrey's district and borough councils to put together proposals for local government reform".

It also suggests new unitary elections could be held in 2026, with a mayoral election in 2027.

Oliver said two-tier authorities like Surrey were being told to put forward interim proposals by March and that the timescales are "tight."

At a meeting of the council, he said: "Unitarisiation is coming and what we need to focus on is what is the best structure for Surrey and that is my priority."

The Liberal Democrat MP for Woking, Will Forster, who is also a Surrey county councillor said: "People need to be able to hold their politicians to account and the Conservatives in Surrey trying to postpone those elections, I think is shocking.

Residents Association councillor, Eber Kington, said: "We've seen today party politicians dismissing the residents as a key part of this particular process."

Jonathan Essex, Green Group leader, said: "Rushing the biggest change in local government in Surrey since 1974 risks poor decisions that fail to deliver what is best for Surrey."

Labour group leader, Robert Evans, who is supportive of changes, said: "If Surrey is going to abolished within a year or so, you can't have elections to an organisation or a body or a council that is not going to exist."

A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: "No decisions have been taken on postponing elections.

"We will only consider postponing elections for areas where the council concerned have requested it and where it helps an area to deliver reorganisation and devolution to the most ambitious timeline."

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