This is why local elections in Surrey will be different this year
Local elections in Surrey will be different this year as residents will elect politicians to two new councils, East Surrey and West Surrey, which will take over all local services. The elections will shape the entire system of local government in Surrey for years to come, with the newly elected councillors serving as a 'shadow authority' until 2027.
Surrey's council system is being scrapped and rebuilt. From April 2027, Surrey County Council and all 11 borough and district councils will disappear, replaced by two 'unitary authorities': East Surrey Council and West Surrey Council. These new councils will handle all local services, including education, road maintenance, and social care. The people elected in May will build the system itself, deciding budgets, designing the new councils' structure, and overseeing the handover from the old councils. East Surrey Council will have 72 councillors, while West Surrey Council will have 90 councillors. Each ward will elect two councillors, using a 'first past the post' system.
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