Residents' view on unitary authorities published

A quarter of 558 residents who responded to an online panel said they backed creating two new councils in Surrey, while a third preferred having either three - or a single authority.

The research was carried out by Surrey County Council (SCC) which has submitted plans to the government, along with Elmbridge Borough Council and Mole Valley District Council, for two new unitary authorities.

The opposition Residents' Association and Independents Group said the findings, published in an answer to a question from a councillor on 4 June, should have been shared with the public earlier.

In a letter to the local government minister, SCC's Conservative leader Tim Oliver said the data "lacked consensus".

The government announced in December that the two-tier council system would be abolished, with areas also having elected mayors.

Nine borough and district councils in Surrey are backing a proposal for three unitary councils, while Crawley and Reigate & Banstead have also developed a plan which would see those two areas being combined.

Seventy-two per cent of the residents who took part in the SCC panel in February said they agreed that councils should have more powers and funding from central government.

People were also asked what outcomes they wanted from the changes, with the three top answers being: better value for money from councils when delivering services, clearer accountability and more financially resilient authorities.

Catherine Powell, leader of the Residents' Association and Independent Group at SCC, said the information from the panel showed higher support for three authorities.

"I'd like to see the full survey," she told BBC Radio Surrey.

"I'd like to see what questions were asked, what the answers to the questions were [and] exactly what percentage of people supported which…because that is open and transparent."

In his letter, Oliver, who has previously criticised a consultation by the boroughs and districts, said the panel was "broadly representative of Surrey's population".

"The overall data lacked consensus with 40% disagreeing or strongly disagreeing with both two and three unitaries," he said.

"Therefore, our final plan includes the more in-depth and directive responses on preferred outcomes to local government reorganisation."

He added that those responses had provided "a clearer understanding of what residents want… and this is what we have focused on addressing".

In a statement to Parliament on 3 June, Jim McMahon, Minister for Local Government and English Devolution, said: "I am pleased to inform the House that we received proposals for unitary local government from councils in Surrey, and I will provide the House with a full update shortly."

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