Local Government Reorganisation - Surrey

Published: 28 December 2025

The Government has announced its decision on the future structure of local government in Surrey from April 2027 onwards. From 1st April 2027 the current structure of Surrey County Council and 11 District and Borough Councils will be replaced with two new unitaries, an East Surrey Council and a West Surrey Council.

Each unitary will be responsible for all local services, including housing, planning, waste, education, roads and social care. As well as Tandridge, the new East Surrey Council will include four other existing councils. They are: Elmbridge, Epsom & Ewell, Mole Valley and Reigate & Banstead. The number of councillors representing Tandridge on the new East Surrey unitary will be 12 compared with 49 currently.

The first steps towards setting up the East Surrey unitary begin in the New Year. Ten councillors have been appointed to a joint committee to prepare for implementation. Five of the councillors are Surrey County Councillors from the east appointed by the County Council and the other five are appointed by the Districts and Boroughs that will make up the East Surrey unitary. The only committee representative appointed from Tandridge is the District Council leader, Catherine Sayer. The first meeting of the committee is on 15 January.

Key dates:

7 May 2026: Elections will be held for the new unitary councils. Elected councillors will work in a shadow authority to help prepare for the new councils.
31 March 2027: The 12 current councils will close
1 April 2027: The new unitary councils will officially take over.