Surrey council elections could be postponed

Surrey County Council could postpone local elections due in May as it explores local government reform.

The county is currently covered by 11 borough and district councils, the county council, and parish and town councils.

Tim Oliver, the council's Conservative leader, plans to write to the government over the possible delay, after plans for local government reform were outlined in December.

However, a local councillor has called for the May elections to go ahead in the interests of local democracy.

The government's English Devolution White Paper sets out that ministers expect all two-tier areas, such as Surrey, "to develop proposals for reorganisation".

At a specially-called council meeting on 8 January councillors will discuss the letter from Mr Oliver which 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".

Describing the two-tier system as "fragmented", the letter also said new unitary elections could be held in 2026 and a mayoral election in 2027.

In 2020, the county council developed its own plan to replace borough and district councils in the area with a single body, but this was later abandoned, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Catherine Powell, leader of the residents' association and independent councillors' group at Surrey, said more time should be given to work through the "once in a generation change that carries great opportunities and risks".

"In the push for increased devolution the importance of truly local democracy and community spirit must not be lost," she added.

The Labour group leader, Robert Evans, said the party in Surrey had "long been in favour of modernising local government".

Liberal Democrat group leader Paul Follows called for a "period of proper consultation".

He added: "We do not support postponing the county council elections scheduled for May 2025."

The Green group leader has also been contacted for comment.

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