The Green Party supports the creation of three unitary authorities – instead of two – in Surrey, saying claims that the two-authority option would save money are ‘false, over-optimistic and over-egged’.
“Surrey County Council’s assumptions about supposed cost savings could easily transpire to be incorrect,” said Cllr Jonathan Essex, leader of the Green group on the council.
“We need the Government to bail out the unserviceable debt of both Woking and Spelthorne borough councils now – and not over-estimate likely savings from merging councils.
“We also need an urgent commitment that frontline public services will not be reduced as the result of the creation of unitary authorities.”
Cllr Essex believes that a two-authority option is centralisation, not localisation – with borough and district councils becoming far less local and effectively being folded up into the existing County structure.
At Reigate & Banstead Borough Council last week, Cllr Essex’s recommendation in favour of the three-authority option was unanimously approved by all councillors.
The interim proposals setting out the current options about how local government in the county should be reorganised, were submitted to the Government on Friday (March 21).
Cllr Essex added: “The best option is whichever one gives the best future for our local communities and there is cross-party, unanimous agreement in Reigate & Banstead that the preferred option is three.
“But we still need more evidence about the impact of the changes on local services and democratic representation. Wide community and stakeholder engagement will also be essential.”
Surrey backs two unitaries but what did residents say?
May 7, 2025
Surrey’s Green County Councillors have accused the County Council of a “lack of transparency” over the results of its public consultation about local government reorganisation.
