Back in July, we told you about the fact that Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party was looking to make alterations to the way that local government works, which was set to have a knock-on effect on Guildford. This Local Government Reorganisation was confirmed in October, so now local people are set to be asked what they think their local governance should look like. Guildford Borough Council will carry out a Community Governance Review ahead of the changes that will be made in order to elect a town council to Guildford for the first time, which will come in in 2027.
Why the Changes?
The most obvious question that a number of people will ask is why it is that the Labour government is looking to make such sweeping changes to the way that local governments work. The answer is a multifaceted one, starting with a desire to tackle the deep funding crises that have hit the various councils up and down the country. There is also a desire to create more efficiency, which will come about by carrying out mergers of smaller councils into larger ones. Local growth can be boosted by looking at devolution where possible, empowering mayors to better answer questions around planning and housing.
The overall plan of Sir Keir Starmer’s government has been to try to find ways to reduce waste, which can be done in several different ways. Local authorities being handed multi-year settlements of funding can mean an end to competitive bidding, which is seen as wasteful. There is also a desire to empower local governments much more, something that will be seen as good news for towns like Guildford. The truth of the matter is that Labour’s changes to local government are being seen as ‘seismic’ by some, but the question is whether they will actually be able to pull it off or not.
A New Town Council for Guildford
One of the biggest changes as far as the residents of Guildford are concerned is the fact that they will have a town council for the first time ever. That is thanks to the fact that the Local Government Reorganisation plans of the Labour government look set to see the abolition of Guildford Borough Council. This LGR will see all of the county and borough councils in Surrey dissolved, which obviously includes Guildford Borough Council. Instead, East and West Surrey Councils will come in to replace these soon-to-be-removed councils by the time we get to 2027.
Guildford will become part of the West Surrey Council, which will be in charge of an area stretching from Haslemere to Staines, on the London border. It is because of that that the Guildford Borough Council is looking to create either a parish council or a town council for Guildford, saying that this would ‘provide a strong connection to local communities, bridging the gap between residents and the new larger unitary council’. There are already some parish councils in the borough of Guildford, such as Ash Parish Council and Worplesdon Parish Council, but ten wards currently don’t have either a parish or a town council.
Have Your Say on the Future
If a new town council is created for Guildford, it would administer the area that includes the town centre, as well as the surrounding neighbourhoods. These include the likes of Bellfields, Park Barn, Merrow and Stoughton. All ten wards in Guildford will have the chance to elect parish councillors who will then provide local representation for the communities. At the moment, Guildford Borough Council is asking for the public’s opinion on what people want the future of governance to look like for the town on a local level, canvassing opinions before it is dissolved.
The draft for the Community Governance Review from Guildford Borough Council proposes numerous changes for the future, with the main ones being as follows:
- One parish area known as ‘Guildford’ to be created to cover the ten boroughs currently unparished
- Guildford Parish Council to be formed in order to serve the area
- Ten parish wards to be named the same as the existing borough wards
- 24 councillors to be elected in order to represent the ten wards
- A precept to be charged, coming from an increase in council tax paid by each household, in order to pay for the running of the parish council and any services provided
Although the exact amount of any precept is currently unknown, an estimated amount of between £60 and £100 per year, or from £5 to £8.34 per month, has been mooted.
Moving Swiftly
Speaking about the matter, the Leader of the Guildford Borough Council, Councillor Julia McShane, said that the amount of time available for the council to complete the CGR ‘has changed’. She said, “We’re moving swiftly to give residents living in the ten wards of Guildford Town the opportunity to have their say on creating a Parish Council for the town. In this round of consultation, people can tell us if they want local representation at the heart of the community for Guildford Town in the form of a parish council.” In other words, if you want to have your say, then you should do so now.
The phase of the consultation in which people can ensure that their thoughts are heard by those in power is due to start in the January of next year, running for eight weeks. An extraordinary Full Council meeting will take place in mid-March to consider the various responses, as well as look to decide what should happen next. The earliest point at which any new Parish Council elections can take place will be in the May of 2027, should the suggestions be approved early next year.