Surrey elections delayed due to council shake-up
BBCThe elections in Surrey will be delayed for a year, as part of a major reorganisation of local authorities.
Ministers said the county had been included among nine areas where voters will not go to the polls in May, because of an urgent need to set up unitary local government.
Opposition parties have criticised the decision as an "attack on local democracy", with residents being "denied" their voice.
The Conservative leader of Surrey County Council, Tim Oliver, said a business case for reorganisation would be developed and a draft submitted to the government in March.
"I can be absolutely clear that, throughout this process, our vital work supporting residents will continue.
"Services will be delivered and we will still be here for those who need us most, until whatever new council is fully established to take on that delivery," he said.
"I have always been a firm believer that further devolution from Westminster to local regions and communities would be in the best interest of Surrey residents and businesses."
In a joint statement, Surrey's six Liberal Democrat MPs and the Leader of the party on the County Council, Paul Follows, said: "Conservative-led Surrey Council have denied local residents their voice by getting our upcoming local elections delayed."
Councillor Jonathan Essex, the Green Party leader on the council, said: "There will be more attacks on local democracy to come, if plans for council re-organisation go ahead here."
Surrey is not included in a list of the devolution areas which ministers are planning for new mayors to be elected in May 2026.
In the Commons, the Local Government Secretary Angela Rayner, said: "The reorganisation is about recognising the challenges that Surrey faces, working with local leaders to deliver services to local areas and then we can look at later date if we're able to take (devolution) forward, but we do recognise the unique situation Surrey faces."
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