My department is liaising closely with the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) so that they are involved at the appropriate time to ensure fair electoral arrangements across the area of any new unitary local authority.

The LGBCE is responsible for electoral reviews for local government, reviewing wards, and setting the council size in terms of number of councillors. When a full electoral review of a newly established authority is carried out, the LGBCE will follow its guidance (which is available on its website). The LGBCE have recently published FAQ on their website to support councils going through Local Government Reorganisation and have set out as part of this that they expect to carry out an electoral review of all newly established local authorities after their first elections and before their subsequent elections.

I am currently considering the submissions for unitary local government in Surrey that were received on 9 May. Before a proposal can be implemented the statute – the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 – requires consultation. As I set out to the House on 3 June, I will provide the House with a full update shortly.

My expectation remains that in Surrey there will be elections to new shadow unitary councils in May 2026 with a view to going live in April 2027. Warding or divisional arrangements would be included in the secondary legislation that gives effect to a proposal and makes provision for those elections. Any legislation would need to be in force ahead of the date by which the notice of the elections must be published, which for the ordinary day of election in 2026 is 30 March 2026.

There are no plans to postpone local elections in 2026. The government’s starting point is for all elections to go ahead unless there is strong justification.

The government considered requests to postpone local elections from May 2025 to May 2026 where it could be shown to help deliver both reorganisation and devolution to the most ambitious timeframe.

The government will work with areas to hold elections for new unitary councils as soon as possible as is the usual arrangement in the process of local government reorganisation. For Surrey, our expectation is that the only elections that will take place in May 2026 are elections to new shadow unitary local government, with a view to going live in April 2027.

In our unitary invitation we have set out guidance to support councils as they develop proposals that are in the best interests of their areas. This includes guidance on issues of size, sensible geographies, efficiencies and financial sustainability, public service delivery, community engagement and devolution. Proposals should be for a sensible geography which will help to increase housing supply and meet local needs. It is for councils to develop robust and sustainable proposals that are in the best interests of their whole area. We have not asked Surrey to include a single unitary proposal. As part of the feedback process, it was suggested that Surrey councils may wish to consider an options appraisal that could include a counter factual of a single unitary, which could be helpful as a benchmark.

The government confirmed we would progress with a non-mayoral single local authority agreement for Surrey in September 2024. Future designation is subject to wider timelines on the passage of the English Devolution Bill as well as next steps on local government reorganisation and to deepen devolution for the area.

Surrey are on the Local Government Reorganisation fast track to unlock devolution to the fastest possible timeline, to deepen and widen their existing devolution agreement and take strides towards mayoral devolution.

As set out in the letter sent to Surrey leaders inviting them to develop proposals for local government reorganisation, given the urgency of creating sustainable unitary local government for Surrey, the decision was taken to work towards reorganisation to the most ambitious timeframe possible. This will also enable Surrey to benefit from devolution as quickly as possible once new unitary local government is in place.

Given the urgency of creating sustainable unitary local government for Surrey, the decision was taken to work with local leaders in Surrey to facilitate reorganisation to the most ambitious timeframe possible. This will also enable Surrey to benefit from devolution as quickly as possible once new unitary local government is in place.

Surrey will not have a mayoral election in 2026 as it has not been included in the Devolution Priority Programme; decisions on subsequent devolution have not yet been taken. The date of any unitary council elections will depend on the nature of proposals for local government reorganisation and progress on development of those proposals.