West Surrey Conservative Council Group

06/10/2026

04/10/2026

04/10/2026

They say "The early bird catches the worm." That was certainly the case this morning with this capture along the canal on the way to work at Sunrise.

Basingstoke Canal The Basingstoke Canal Society

04/10/2026

In this image, you can see councillors at the West Surrey (Shadow) Council voting to downgrade the Constitution Sub-Committee into an informal Working Group.

I honestly do not think those who voted in favour fully grasped the long-term implications, or the damage this will inflict on the very communities they represent. Instead, they simply fell in line behind their leader, sleepwalking straight into an abyss of future hyper-local misery.

Residents in Deepcut already know the score when it comes to "Working Groups." We saw it first-hand when the administration at Surrey Heath Borough Council set one up behind closed doors with no published agendas, no reports, no minutes, and crucially, no public voting record.

Decisions were hammered out in a smoke-filled room, completely out of sight. That working-group setup was the exact mechanism that allowed them to operate below the radar, and it was only because I blew the whistle on social media that residents found out what was actually going on.

It may take a few years for the ruling group's backbenchers to realise what they have done. Only then will the penny drop on how badly they’ve pi**ed on their own chips, and what that means for their constituents.

I have recorded a fresh "walk and talk" video breaking down why this blow to local democracy and accountability could spectacularly backfire, just as we saw happen in Deepcut. Check out the link to my walk and talk in the comments below ⬇️.

04/10/2026

Sunday’s Telegraph: Lib Dem-led Spelthorne Borough Council issues guidance telling staff not to assume whether someone is “he” or “she” from their appearance”. It encourages the use of "they" or "them" instead. It also discourages the use of "husband" and "wife" and other terms.

02/10/2026

🚫 Today, Lib Dem Leader complained about me joining West Surrey’s Executive meeting even though I had registered to attend.

Following the helpful intervention of fellow opposition Councillor Jonathan Hulley, I was able to join — only to be spoken to aggressively by the Leader. Opposition Councillors were then prevented from asking supplementary questions - AGAINST the rules.

This was despite the Monitoring Officer confirming to the Leader and to me in writing beforehand that we were entitled to ask them. The Leader himself approved the rules - so he should know them.

My question would have exposed a very concerning truth - it concerned the Leader’s decision to alter the motion proposed so it ends the LGR Implementation Plan in January next year — two months before West Surrey takes over our local services on 1 April. That was voted through by Council.

What officer advice supported that decision? What risks were assessed?

Professional government officers overseeing the minutiae of this very complex plan have confirmed to me they were not consulted and, had they been, would have advised against alteration to the plan without significant research and understanding of the potentially very serious and significant consequences.

In my view, the Leader making such a significant change without that advice is irresponsible and reckless. This plan oversees a complex reorganisation involving vital services, including support for vulnerable children and adults. The consequences of getting government reorganisation wrong are serious.

As Leader of the Opposition, my job is to scrutinise decisions and hold the Executive accountable. I expect robust debate. The disrespectful treatment I experienced today was unacceptable.

Complaining about opposition attendance and blocking legitimate questions is an affront to democratic accountability.

We will continue pressing for answers.

Here is the link to the Council meeting - watch for yourself:
https://moderngov.woking.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=459&MId=2873&Ver=4

West Surrey Conservative Council Group
West Surrey Conservatives
Cllr Jane Austin - Waverley Eastern Villages
Surrey County Cllr Jonathan Hulley

02/10/2026

Spelthorne borough in Surrey asks staff to use ‘them/they’ to make people feel ‘welcome, seen, heard and respected’