Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) and Devolution

Where can I find out more information?

More information about devolution and local government reorganisation is available at the Local Government Association website.

What is devolution?  

Devolution is the transfer of powers and funding from national to local government. It helps ensure that more decisions are made locally, closer to the communities and businesses they affect. Watch this video to find out more information.

The video below, titled, 'Devolution explained' is with spoken voice, subtitles and has instrumental music playing in the background.

How will devolution affect Surrey and the Borough of Reigate & Banstead?

Devolution will create new unitary authorities in the area currently served by Surrey County Council and the 11 existing district and borough councils. These will eventually become part of a larger Mayoral Strategic Authority covering the existing area covered by Surrey County Council, or a larger area. 

What is local government reorganisation? 

The Government wants to devolve more powers from national to local government. To achieve this, the way local government is currently structured and organised needs to change with county and district/borough councils being replaced with larger unitary authorities. The government has indicated that for most areas this will mean creating councils with a population of 500,000 or more, but there may be exceptions for areas.    

What would local government reorganisation mean for Surrey? 

In Surrey, newly formed unitary authorities, rather than the 11 district and borough councils and the county council will deliver all services to residents. Counties which have county and district/borough councils, like Surrey, have been invited by government to submit initial proposals for becoming unitary authorities by 21 March, with full proposals submitted by 9 May. Central government will ultimately decide how local government will be structured in Surrey.  

What will the new boundaries be in Surrey? 

This is still to be discussed and agreed between the current county and district/borough councils in Surrey and central government. The geographical split of the areas served by the new unitary authorities and number of unitaries is still to be determined, but it is likely to be made up of two or three unitary authorities. 

What is the Devolution Priority Programme (DPP)?

The Devolution Priority Programme (DPP) is for areas who want to move towards devolution as quickly as possible. 

Surrey was not named by the government on 5 February 2025 as one of the six areas accepted onto the DPP, but the Government have postponed Surrey County Council elections in May 2025 to help 'speed up reorganisation and deliver the local ambitions for devolution with the benefits it will bring.' 

The government has said that they intend to deliver new unitary authorities included in the DPP by April 2027, and remaining unitary authorities by April 2028.

More information

We will provide updates as soon as more information is available on our website, social media and via our e-newsletter Borough News.