Frequently asked questions
See a list of frequently asked questions below.
You can also access more information about devolution and local government reorganisation at the Local Government Association website.
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What is devolution?
Devolution is the transfer of powers and funding from national to local government. It helps ensure that more decisions are made locally, closer to the communities and businesses they affect. Watch this video to find out more information.
How would devolution affect Surrey Heath and Surrey as a whole?
Devolution would likely see the creation of new unitary authorities in the area currently served by Surrey County Council and the 11 existing district and borough councils. These would probably be part of a larger Mayoral Strategic Authority covering the existing area covered by Surrey County Council, or potentially a larger area.
What is local government reorganisation?
The government has said it wants to devolve more powers from national to local government, and to reorganise local government across England by replacing county and district/borough councils with unitary authorities, consolidating the services they currently provide. The government has indicated that for most areas this will mean creating councils with a population of 500,000 or more, but there may be exceptions for particular areas.
What would local government reorganisation mean for Surrey?
In Surrey, all of the same services would still be provided, but by newly formed unitary authorities, rather than the 11 district and borough councils and the county council. The details of this are yet to be determined. Counties such as Surrey, which have county and district/borough councils, have been invited by government to submit proposals for becoming unitary authorities. Central government will ultimately decide how local government will be structured in Surrey.
What will the new boundaries be in Surrey?
This is still to be discussed and agreed between the current county and district/borough councils in Surrey and central government. The geographical split of the areas served by the new unitary authorities, along with how many there will be, remains to be confirmed - however it is likely to be made up of two or three unitary authorities.
Do any areas of the country already operate in the way that Surrey may be structured in the future?
There are many other areas of the country that have unitary authorities rather than county and district councils. These include Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Reading, Swindon and Wiltshire.
What is the likely timescale for the transformation?
The Devolution Priority Programme (DPP) is for areas who wish to move towards devolution as quickly as possible.
Surrey was not named by the government on 5 February 2025 as one of the six areas accepted onto the DPP, however the government have stressed the 'urgency of creating sustainable unitary local government in Surrey', postponing the planned county elections in May 2025 to help 'speed up reorganisation and deliver the local ambitions for devolution with the benefits it will bring.'
The reorganisation process is expected to progress quickly. The next key milestone is the submission of an interim plan by 21 March 2025, outlining the nature and geography of any proposed devolved area, after which officials will provide feedback to support the development of the final proposals. The full and final proposal is set to be submitted by 9 May 2025.
The government has said that they intend to deliver new unitary authorities included in the DPP by April 2027, and remaining unitary authorities by April 2028.
What happens next?
At Surrey Heath Borough Council, we are actively working in collaboration with our partners to progress the reorganisation plans. The council remains committed to constructive engagement with the government, local authorities, and our community, as we work together to shape a future that prioritises the needs and aspirations of local residents.
More information
Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available. Check our news section for recent announcements.