The East Surrey Joint Committee was scheduled to discuss the final draft of a single Implementation Plan for the transition to new unitary authorities in Surrey. The committee was also set to consider the proposed constitution for the East Surrey Shadow Authority and the designation of interim statutory officers. Finally, the committee was to review recommendations for a scheme of member allowances for the new shadow authority.

Implementation Plan Update

The committee was presented with the final draft of the Implementation Plan, which outlines the steps required for a safe and legal transition from the current two-tier local government structure in Surrey to the new West Surrey and East Surrey unitary authorities. If endorsed by the committee, this plan would be presented to the West and East Surrey Shadow Authorities for recommendation and adoption. The report also included updates on the latest risk and budget monitoring positions, programme resourcing, and an extract from the programme highlight report.

Proposed Constitution for East Surrey Shadow Authority

The committee was asked to consider a revised draft Constitution for the East Surrey Shadow Authority. This document is required by the Surrey (Structural Changes) Order 2026 and will provide the governance framework for the Shadow Authority during its operational period. The proposed constitution incorporates mandatory governance arrangements and has been developed with reference to constitutions used by other shadow authorities and existing Surrey councils. The report sought recommendations for the adoption of this constitution by the Shadow Authority at its inaugural meeting.

Interim Statutory Officer Designations

The committee was presented with recommendations from its Appointments sub-group regarding the designation of interim statutory officers for the East Surrey Shadow Authority. These roles – Interim Head of Paid Service, Interim Chief Finance Officer (section 151 officer), and Interim Monitoring Officer – are essential for the Shadow Authority to operate legally and effectively from its inception. The report sought endorsement of these recommendations for submission to the Shadow Authority.

Scheme of Member Allowances

A supplementary agenda item concerned the Scheme of Member Allowances. This report provided information to assist the East Surrey Joint Committee in making recommendations to the East Surrey Shadow Authority regarding allowances for its members. The recommendations from an Independent Remuneration Panel were presented, covering basic allowances, special responsibility allowances (SRAs), and provisions for travel, subsistence, childcare, and parental leave. The report also outlined proposals for a mid-year review and the formulation of a scheme for East Surrey Council beyond 1 April 2027.