South West Woking Lib Dems

30/10/2026

Surrey was named in this week’s Budget as the Government confirmed progress towards a mayoral devolution deal. This could give our communities a stronger voice in decisions that affect them.

Paul Follows is right to call for clarity on the powers, funding and accountability behind any deal. For us as South West Woking Liberal Democrats, the test is what it delivers for local people. That should be better services, more influence over local priorities and decisions that respond to our communities needs.

We’re open to the opportunities, but we need to see the detail. Any new arrangements must also help tackle Surrey’s financial challenges.

That’s how we’ll judge the proposals as they emerge.

23/10/2026

Come and talk to us about the future of West Surrey Council.

There are three more opportunities in Woking to meet the team and share your views on the emerging Corporate Strategy:

Wednesday 28 October, 11am–2pm
Goldsworth Park Shopping Centre

Friday 6 November, 10am–3pm
Woking Means Business, Woking Hilton Hotel — free entry

Thursday 12 November, 10.30am–1.30pm
Woking Voluntary Sector Fair, Woking Leisure Centre — free entry

There is no need to book. Just drop in and have a conversation.

You can also read the emerging strategy and complete the online survey before it closes on 15 November:

https://www.surreylgrhub.gov.uk/west-strategy

Please take part and help us build a new council around the needs and priorities of its residents and communities.

23/10/2026

If you’re looking for something colourful, playful and different to do over half-term, this is well worth a visit.

It’s a great exhibition and another reminder of how fortunate we are to have such a brilliant gallery and museum here in Woking. Under 18s also visit free.

19/10/2026

The public consultation on the emerging West Surrey Corporate Strategy is now live.

The strategy will help set the priorities for the new council from April 2027. We want to understand what matters most to residents, what needs to change and where the council should focus its limited resources.

This is not the finished strategy. Alongside the public consultation, there will be further engagement with councillors, staff, community groups, seldom-heard residents and strategic partners before the final version is considered in February.

The consultation closes on 15 November. Please take a look and have your say here:
https://www.surreylgrhub.gov.uk/west-strategy

08/10/2026

Today we began the detailed work on West Surrey Council’s first budget. The early figures are still being checked, but it is clear that bringing together different services, contracts, assets and financial commitments will present both opportunities and challenges.
.. and for the record, it was, indeed, a long morning.

Arriving at Woking station this morning and walking down to the borough council building, I can’t help but wonder if there’s a more fitting place to discuss the first complete look at the West Surrey budget position — bringing together the latest financial positions of Waverley, Guildford, Surrey Heath, Woking, Runnymede, Spelthorne and, of course, Surrey County Council.

…it’s going to be a long morning, I suspect…

Cllr Paul Follows
Leader, West Surrey Council

02/10/2026

A busy week, much of it focused on the detailed work needed to prepare West Surrey Council for April 2027.

At Thursday’s extraordinary Shadow Executive meeting (held in Woking's council chamber), we considered how six different Council Tax Reduction schemes could be brought together into one consistent scheme. This requires a difficult balance between fairness, supporting people on low incomes and ensuring the new council is financially sustainable. Importantly, residents will have the opportunity to have their say through consultation.

And looking ahead to next week, we're all looking forward to our social at The Rowbarge in St Johns on Wednesday 7th at 7pm. Everyone welcome for an informal evening.

27/09/2026

24/09/2026

18/09/2026

This week, Woking Borough Council approved a further series of significant asset sales as we continue to deliver our Improvement and Recovery Plan.

The council has now completed or exchanged asset sales totalling £72 million, with a further £54 million currently under offer. The proceeds will be used to reduce our overall debt burden and strengthen the council’s financial position ahead of the creation of West Surrey Council in April 2027.

These decisions are about more than financial recovery. The sale of sites such as the Triangle will also create opportunities for new investment, regeneration, redevelopment and economic growth across the borough.

As ever, there is always more to do, but this is further evidence of the substantial progress being made by officers, commissioners, members and the current administration to put Woking on a more sustainable footing ahead of LGR.

Read the full announcement: https://www.woking.gov.uk/newsroom/2026/major-asset-sales-continue-councils-financial-recovery

18/09/2026

🏛️ WEST SURREY SHADOW EXECUTIVE –
ℹ️ A QUICK (ISH) UPDATE

A pretty substantial meeting of the West Surrey Shadow Executive today, with a lot of the detailed work of creating the new council now moving forward.

Over 250 pages of material but there are a few things worth flagging 👇

🏘️ NEW TOWN AND PARISH COUNCILS

We agreed the arrangements for a number of new parish councils across West Surrey.

The one likely to attract the most attention is Guildford, where we are progressing the creation of Guildford Town Council.

But Guildford isn't the only change. There will also be new parish arrangements in Englefield Green in Runnymede, Bagshot & Lightwater and Windlesham in Surrey Heath, and Pyrford in Woking.

These are matters that the respective boroughs have formally asked us to consider, and West Surrey is now responding to those requests as part of the LGR process.

The new parish councils are due to come into existence on 1 April 2027, with their first elections taking place in May 2027.

I think this is important. Larger unitary councils need genuinely local democracy underneath them — somewhere local to go, and councillors who understand the communities they represent.

💷 FINANCES AND ASSETS

There is a huge amount of work going on here too. Far too much for a short post.

The existing West Surrey borough and district councils will merge into West Surrey Council (aggregation) and services provided by Surrey County Council will largely be split West and East (disaggregation).

That means determining where our staff will work and who for and sorting out contracts, buildings, IT, equipment, income, liabilities, assets and government funding.

It's not particularly glamorous work — but getting it wrong would be very visible indeed.

My next post will start to discuss our emerging budget position and the inherited debt.

📜 AND THEN THERE WAS THE REST...

We also agreed the arrangements around the Combined Foundation Strategic Authority (FSA), including our joint response to the Government consultation, alongside the Section 16 (the start of the legal framework between West and East assigning assets) and inter-authority arrangements (the start of the legal framework between East and West about how we manage shared services or assets), electoral management, Charter Trustees and a number of other pieces of LGR machinery.

Most of this probably won't make anyone's dinner-table conversation — but it all matters.

AN IMPORTANT REMINDER: The existing county, borough and district councils remain responsible for delivering services until 31 March 2027. West Surrey Council takes over responsibility for services from 1 April 2027 — not before.

There is still a huge amount to do. But we're getting on with it. 🙂

Cllr Paul Follows
Leader, West Surrey Council