The East Surrey Shadow Authority met on Wednesday 29 July 2026 to discuss the appointment of key officers, the approach to external audit, and the establishment of a Foundation Strategic Authority for Surrey. The meeting also included the consideration of three motions on notice regarding democratic culture, civic traditions, and local decision-making.

Appointment of Chief Executive and Head of Paid Service

A report detailed the process for appointing a permanent Chief Executive and Head of Paid Service for East Surrey Council. The role is statutory and required by the Surrey (Structural Changes) Order 2026 to be filled before 31 December 2026. The Senior Officer Employment Sub-Committee had recommended Adam Chalmers for the position, noting his experience as Interim Head of Paid Service for East Surrey Council and his previous role as Chief Executive at Elmbridge Borough Council. The report indicated that Chalmers had demonstrated a clear vision for the new council and possessed strong leadership qualities. The appointment of the Chief Executive also includes the role of Returning Officer for East Surrey Council.

Approach to the Appointment of an External Auditor

The Shadow Authority was asked to approve opting into the Public Sector Audit Appointments (PSAA) sector-led option for the appointment of external auditors for East Surrey Council from the 2027/28 financial year. This approach aligns with the current practice of Surrey County Council and other district and borough councils in Surrey. The report highlighted that opting into the PSAA framework would ensure consistency, ease of administration, and value for money, with approximately 98% of councils nationally already participating. The decision to opt in requires a meeting of the full Council, and the Interim Chief Finance Officer was authorised to sign the necessary notice.

Appointment of Independent Persons

The meeting was scheduled to consider recommendations for the appointment of Independent Persons to the East Surrey Shadow Authority until 31 March 2027. These appointments are required by the Localism Act 2011 to assist with the handling of complaints against councillors. The East Surrey Shadow Standards Committee had recommended the appointment of Jane Clarke, Bill Donnelly, John Smith, Dean Spears, and Tim Stokes. These individuals are existing Independent Persons for other local authorities in Surrey, bringing experience in dealing with Code of Conduct complaints. An allowance of £1,159 per annum, pro rata, was proposed for each Independent Person, along with travel expenses.

Securing a Foundation Strategic Authority for Surrey

An update was provided on the pathway to establishing a Foundation Strategic Authority (FSA) for Surrey by 1 April 2027. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) had confirmed its intention to work with Surrey councils on this proposal. The report outlined the indicative timetable, including a Government-led consultation over summer 2026 and the requirement for formal consent from the East Surrey Shadow Authority and West Surrey Shadow Authority in autumn 2026. An FSA is intended to provide a statutory mechanism for key strategic functions, such as transport, adult skills, and strategic planning, to be exercised coherently across the county following Local Government Reorganisation.

Motions on Notice

Three motions were scheduled for consideration:

• Motion 1: Debate Not Hate – Establishing a Respectful Democratic Culture for East Surrey Council. This motion called for the Shadow Authority to publicly support the principles of the Jo Cox Foundation's No Place in Politics programme and the Local Government Association's Debate Not Hate campaign. It aimed to foster a culture where political debate is encouraged but personal abuse, intimidation, discrimination, and harassment are not tolerated. The motion proposed reviewing the Council's Constitution and Code of Conduct, developing an action plan, and ensuring appropriate support for officers experiencing abuse.

• Motion 2: Securing Borough Status and the Civic Traditions of East Surrey. This motion highlighted that three of the five predecessor councils in East Surrey hold borough status. It noted the Government's confirmation that arrangements can be made to preserve ceremonial rights, including borough status, during local government reorganisation. The motion expressed a belief that the creation of East Surrey Council should strengthen, not diminish, civic life and proposed that the new council should petition for borough status at the earliest opportunity. It also called for appropriate arrangements to be established to preserve the borough status, mayoralties, and civic traditions of the predecessor boroughs.

• Motion 3: Keeping Decisions Local in East Surrey. This motion raised concerns that the large size of the new East Surrey Council could lead to decision-making drifting away from residents. It argued that local government reorganisation should not result in the centralisation of decision-making and that communities should have more say in local matters. The motion proposed undertaking a Community Governance Review to give communities the opportunity to establish town or parish councils where there is local demand, and to adopt a presumption in favour of double devolution of assets, services, and budgets. It also called for area-based arrangements with delegated powers and budgets.