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RESOLVED:
 

1.   
That Cabinet approves the Council’s Final Plan for Local
Government Reorganisation in Surrey.
 

2.   
That Cabinet agrees that
the Leader of Surrey County Council submits the Final Plan to
government for the 9 May deadline.
 

3.   
That Cabinet delegates
authority to make any final amendments to the Final Plan (and other
associated information) for Local Government Reorganisation in
Surrey to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of
the Council, before submission within the deadline given by the
Secretary of State.
 
Reasons for
Decisions:
 
On
18 March 2025 Surrey County Council submitted an

Interim
Plan for LGR, which set out
the council’s preferred option to reorganise the existing 12
councils into two new unitary authorities. A shortlist of four
potential geographical configurations was included. 
 
Following submission of the Interim Plan, extensive work has
taken place to develop a robust evidence base and clear vision for
strengthened, simpler and more cost-effective local government in
Surrey. This Final Plan (Annex 1), due to be submitted to
government on 9 May 2025, proposes an East and a West unitary
council, working in conjunction with a Surrey Mayoral Strategic
Authority.
 
Reorganising to East and West Surrey will unlock devolution on a
Surrey footprint whilst creating two new unitaries that are large
enough to deliver effectively the full range of services currently
offered by councils. Two councils will also deliver higher ongoing
net annual benefits when compared to three unitaries.
 
Our
analysis shows this geography creates councils with equitable
starting points across population, land area, flooding risk,
educational responsibility, total miles of public highways and
number of birth and death registrations. It also shows a strong
correlation between the Adult Social Care and Children’s
Social Services budgets and key funding sources, better enabling
both East and West Surrey to continue to deliver high quality
social care.
 
This
is an historic moment for Surrey. Our vision is a future where East
and West Surrey unitary authorities deliver quality, cost effective
public services to residents. The Mayoral Strategic Authority will
work closely with local and regional partners to deliver strategic
priorities, and communities will thrive with an engagement model
that strengthens preventative activity. Local neighbourhoods will
remain at the core of public services, empowered and informed
within this new, enhanced structure.