Surrey Heath Borough Council has confirmed its support for a three-unitary authority structure ahead of the final Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) Plan being submitted to government on 9 May.
At an Extraordinary Meeting of Full Council yesterday, 26 of 31 councillors present voted in support of the three-unitary model included in the Surrey district and borough councils' final LGR plan.
The three-unitary model aims to deliver more responsive, locally focused services by grouping neighbouring councils into new, streamlined authorities.
Under the proposed structure, Surrey Heath would join with Guildford, Waverley, and Woking borough councils. All proposals assume that Woking’s significant debt would be addressed by the government.
Council Leader Cllr Shaun Macdonald said: “This marks a significant milestone in the local government reorganisation process, and I’m pleased to see all party support for the proposals to place local residents first.
“Once the proposals are submitted on Friday, the government will review them and consult with local stakeholders before deciding on the future structure of local government.
“If approved, elections for shadow unitary councils should take place in May 2026, with the new councils up and running by May 2027.”
Surrey County Council is also putting forward an alternative proposal for a two-unitary model, while a single unitary authority is not being considered as part of the reorganisation.
You can read more about the final proposals on the Surrey LGR Info Hub