Cllr Jane Austin - Waverley Eastern Villages

29/10/2026

📜What yesterday's Budget means for West Surrey 📜

I believe yesterday's Budget was a missed opportunity for Surrey and beyond the mayoral devolution deal, it offered little for residents.

We know that Surrey’s economy generates over £50 billion a year. The whole reason for a mayoral deal? it could unlock growth, better jobs and greater control over transport, skills and investment. I strongly feel we must now grasp this opportunity now and work to secure the best possible deal for our county.

This is all set in the context of the “Fair Funding” Review - which is far from fair for Surrey. The county is set to lose over £180 million over the next 3 years, around 14% of its net budget, placing growing pressure on residents and services.

The Government has committed £500 million towards Woking’s debt. West Surrey’s Liberal Democrat administration has yet to set out how it will address the wider inherited financial challenges inherited from predecessor councils. West Surrey Conservative Council Group will be scrutinising the detail as soon as we receive any ahead of West Surrey's first budget

I find the reluctance of West Surrey’s Liberal Democrat Leader, Paul Follows, to engage with this rather baffling, particularly when his counterpart in East Surrey has been more positive about what devolution could bring. Why is Councillor Follows so reticent? We have to wonder whether internal Liberal Democrat politics is shaping his position. As Conservatives, we will push hard for the best possible mayoral deal to drive growth and better prospects for Surrey residents.

On welfare reform, the Budget feels like a cop-out. The Budget offers more reviews and more promises to consider, but no plan to get people who can work back into work. Support for those who genuinely need it must be protected. But every person who can work should be helped into a job, not left on benefits by a system that has given up on them.

Surrey's young people who are not in education, employment or training also need a route into work. Surrey has one of the strongest economies in the country, yet almost 1,400 of our 16–17-year-olds are either not in education, employment or training, or have an unknown participation status. While Surrey performs better than the national average, this budget failed to put in place mechanisms to get young people into work.

On energy, the £100 payment is welcome but limited as it is restricted to households in council tax bands A to D.

Relief for qualifying pubs and live music venues will rise from 15% to 35% from April 2027. That is a little help, but Surrey businesses need lasting confidence to invest and employ people. What these announcements mean for actual bills will be the real test.

Savers and landlords face higher taxes too. From April 2027, savings and property income tax rates will rise by two percentage points, to 24%, 44% and 49% depending on the tax band. That will affect residents saving for the future or relying on rental income in retirement, and it risks adding pressure on rents.

Surrey - especially West Surrey - faces significant challenges in the months and years ahead, and this budget has done little to ease them. Nevertheless, we must remain ambitious. Surrey has the economic strength and talent to lead the country in growth, and we must ensure it has the powers, infrastructure and financial stability to fulfil that potential.

Councillor Jane Austin
West Surrey Conservative Council Group
West Surrey Conservatives

The government says it is in the "final stages" of agreeing on an elected mayor in Surrey.

26/10/2026

This week the Labour Government is effectively removing local councillors are local democracy from planning decisions - take a look at my opinion piece in the Farnham Herald

Farnham and Bordon Conservatives
West Surrey Conservatives
Godalming & Ash Conservatives

Are elected local officials being stripped of their power to speak up for the communities they represent? West Surrey opposition leader Jane Austin argues that the Government's planning reforms will come at a cost to local democracy 👇

21/10/2026

Oops

Storm Austen is on its way.

All the details here: https://bbc.in/488wosE

20/10/2026

🏛️ WEST SURREY – HAVE YOUR SAY ON YOUR NEW COUNCIL!

From 1 April 2027, West Surrey Council will take over the services currently delivered by Surrey County Council and our borough and district councils.
But what should its priorities be, and how should it spend your money?

🗣️ NOW IS YOUR CHANCE TO HAVE YOUR SAY
A public consultation is now open on West Surrey's proposed Corporate Strategy for 2027–2030
This will set out the new Council's priorities, what it hopes to achieve and how it will make decisions about services and spending.
With significant financial challenges ahead, it is important that the strategy is realistic, affordable and reflects what matters most to residents.

📍 PUBLIC DROP-IN SESSIONS
Sessions are being held across all six areas of West Surrey: Guildford, Runnymede, Spelthorne, Surrey Heath, Waverley and Woking. There's no need to book.

You can also read the proposals and respond online:
👉 https://www.surreylgrhub.gov.uk/west-strategy
📅 Consultation closes Sunday 15 November 2026.
The final strategy is expected to be adopted in February 2027.
This is your opportunity to influence the priorities of a council that will deliver services to your community for years to come so please take part.

Help shape the future of Surrey. Explore consultations, engagement activities and other opportunities to get involved as new councils are developed ahead of local government reorganisation in 2027.

18/10/2026

🚨 ALFOLD LOSES OUT AGAIN — 70 MORE HOMES APPROVED ON APPEAL

Alfold has seen enormous growth in recent years, with the village more than doubling in size following successive speculative development applications. Yet once again this week, Alfold has become the victim of Waverley's failure to maintain an adequate housing land supply. This is another example of our planning system failing local communities.

Earlier this year, Waverley's elected Planning Committee refused permission for 70 homes at Bridian Farm, on land west of Loxwood Road. That decision has now been overturned by a Government-appointed Planning Inspector.
In her report, the Inspector acknowledges that the development conflicts with Alfold's Neighbourhood Plan, will harm the rural character of the area and that the existing sewage network lacks capacity to accommodate the additional homes without upgrades.

And yet the appeal has been allowed. Why?

A major factor is that Waverley has just 1.28 years of housing land supply, against the five years normally required nationally. This continues to seriously weaken the Council's ability to defend its planning policies and decisions, including the protections provided by Alfold's adopted Neighbourhood Plan.

Alfold has already accommodated considerable development. Alfold Parish Council and committed local residents have worked incredibly hard to establish a Neighbourhood Plan, raised legitimate concerns about infrastructure and were encouraged to see their elected Planning Committee refuse this application.

It is not the fault of Alfold residents that Waverley has failed over recent years to maintain a deliverable five-year housing land supply. Nor is it their fault that the Labour Government changed the national housing formula, more than doubling Waverley's annual housing figure from 710 to 1,458 homes — an increase of over 100%.

The result is enormous additional pressure on rural communities, and Alfold increasingly feels as though it is bearing the brunt. Local infrastructure is either lacking or already struggling to cope.

We fully recognise the need for new homes, including affordable housing. But development must be sustainable, infrastructure must keep pace, and local communities must have a meaningful voice in shaping their future.
🗓 Planning Conditions

The Inspector has imposed what are known as Grampian conditions, which restrict occupation until the necessary sewage infrastructure upgrades have been completed or an acceptable infrastructure phasing plan has been approved. These conditions are better than nothing, but they are no substitute for ensuring the infrastructure is actually in place before additional pressure is placed on the network.

This week we have formally asked Waverley for an updated position on its five-year housing land supply, particularly given how long it has been since the Council published a comprehensive update.

We will also be seeking assurances that the sewage conditions attached to this permission are rigorously enforced and that Alfold residents are not left facing further sewage problems as a consequence of this development.
Alfold deserves better.

Cllr Kevin Deanus
Cllr Jane Austin - Waverley Eastern Villages

13/10/2026

📢 WEST SURREY NAME CHANGE - MINISTER REJECTS REQUEST

The Government has refused the Lib Dem administration's request to change the new council's name to “West Surrey and South Middlesex” through parliamentary legislation. This follows a Lib Dem motion to full council in July.

I understand some Spelthorne residents have a connection to the historic county of Middlesex which was abolished 61 years ago. But across the other five boroughs, many residents have struggled to understand why changing the Council's name has been prioritised over dealing with the enormous challenge of bringing together seven councils, protecting services and tackling the substantial debt the new authority will inherit.

Even more concerning to me is the manner in which the Lib Dem administration approached this.... why was the proposal pursued before checking the legal basis of the request? And why were residents not given a proper opportunity to express their views via consultation before the proposal was advanced?

West Surrey Conservative Council Group have been clear that any decision of this significance should be based on clear legal advice, proper scrutiny, an understanding of the costs and meaningful public consultation.

Moving forwards - I believe we should focus on getting the new council ready to deliver for residents on 1 April 2027, not spending more time and public money on debating its name.

Read the BBC report: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvp8gl65d9j3o

West Surrey Conservatives

The government has written to the new West Surrey Council to say that it will not amend parliamentary legislation to change its name to include "South Middlesex".

More here: https://bbc.in/4ztBWtq

09/10/2026

📢 WEST SURREY NAME CHANGE: MINISTER RESPONDS

The Local Government Minister’s letter makes clear that supplementary legislation is not the appropriate route for changing West Surrey Council’s name.

The Minister’s response also raises important questions about the process followed by the Lib Dem administration. Why was the proposal pursued before checking the legal basis of the request? And why were residents not given a proper opportunity to express their views before the proposal was advanced?

A council name change affects how the entire West Surrey area is represented, recognised and understood by residents, businesses and organisations. We believe any decision of this significance should be based on clear legal advice, proper scrutiny, understanding of cost implications and following meaningful public consultation.

West Surrey residents deserve transparency and a genuine say in any decision affecting the identity of their area.

05/10/2026