Decision details

RESOLVED:

1.    That Cabinet approves the Council’s Final Plan for Local Government Reorganisation in Surrey.

2.    That Cabinet agrees that the Leader of Surrey County Council submits the Final Plan to government for the 9 May deadline.

3.    That Cabinet delegates authority to make any final amendments to the Final Plan (and other associated information) for Local Government Reorganisation in Surrey to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, before submission within the deadline given by the Secretary of State.

Reasons for Decisions:

On 18 March 2025 Surrey County Council submitted an Interim Plan for LGR, which set out the council’s preferred option to reorganise the existing 12 councils into two new unitary authorities. A shortlist of four potential geographical configurations was included. 

Following submission of the Interim Plan, extensive work has taken place to develop a robust evidence base and clear vision for strengthened, simpler and more cost-effective local government in Surrey. This Final Plan (Annex 1), due to be submitted to government on 9 May 2025, proposes an East and a West unitary council, working in conjunction with a Surrey Mayoral Strategic Authority.

Reorganising to East and West Surrey will unlock devolution on a Surrey footprint whilst creating two new unitaries that are large enough to deliver effectively the full range of services currently offered by councils. Two councils will also deliver higher ongoing net annual benefits when compared to three unitaries.

Our analysis shows this geography creates councils with equitable starting points across population, land area, flooding risk, educational responsibility, total miles of public highways and number of birth and death registrations. It also shows a strong correlation between the Adult Social Care and Children’s Social Services budgets and key funding sources, better enabling both East and West Surrey to continue to deliver high quality social care.

This is an historic moment for Surrey. Our vision is a future where East and West Surrey unitary authorities deliver quality, cost effective public services to residents. The Mayoral Strategic Authority will work closely with local and regional partners to deliver strategic priorities, and communities will thrive with an engagement model that strengthens preventative activity. Local neighbourhoods will remain at the core of public services, empowered and informed within this new, enhanced structure.