Photo credit:  Surrey County Council.  Photo shows voting by Councillors at the East Surrey Voluntary Joint Committee.

Local councillors in Surrey have come together for the first time as committees to lay the foundations for Local Government reorganisation. 

Surrey County Council and the eleven district and borough councils are reorganising into two new unitary authorities – West Surrey Council and East Surrey Council.  The East Surrey Voluntary Joint Committee met last week in Reigate, and a similar Committee for West Surrey met in Woking.  Both committees agreed to the development of an implementation plan for the new councils, and will continue to meet monthly at different locations within their areas. 

In May residents will elect councillors to serve on the new councils which will initially be ‘shadow authorities’ tasked with setting up the new organisations.  From April 2027, they’ll officially take over the delivery of local services in each area.

Photo credit: Surrey County Council.  Photo shows Councillors from the East Surrey Voluntary Joint Committee.