There is an on-going debate which is very likely to spill over into a battle between Surrey County Council and the 11 Boroughs in the county.
It concerns the changing of the two tier structure into a unitary structure. SCC wants a single unitary structure (Unitary Authority - UA) across the whole of Surrey. The boroughs are against this. there are several emerging proposals, but over the next three weeks or so the boroughs will have decided of their preferred proposal for local government going forward.
We believe that a unitary form of government is probably right, we just believe that a single authority with 1.2m residents will provide a massive democratic deficit that residents don't deserve. The largest UA in the UK has 450k residents!!! In addition, we all have experience of the dreadful service provided by SCC. They are hardly equipped to run a unitary authority of that size! The probable outcome will be a recommendation to implement three unitaries authorities across Surrey. That means that Runnymede may well join with Elmbridge, Surrey Heath and Spelthorne to form a Unitary Authority consisting of around 400k residents. Implementation would probably take two years. No one is sure what will happen to the elections due next year!
Here is an article published on RBC's website:
There will be a campaign being launched very soon against this proposal.
However, in the interim if you want to know more let me know at mcressey@me.com
This is the most serious change to democracy in Surrey in our lifetimes and I urge you all to read whatever is available to you on this subject.
Kind regards
Malcolm
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