Haslemere residents are facing a major shake-up to their local government as the government consults on plans to replace Surrey’s existing two-tier system with new unitary councils — a change not seen in more than 50 years.

Currently, Surrey is governed by Surrey County Council alongside 11 borough and district councils, including Waverley Borough Council, which manages planning, housing, and waste collection in Haslemere. Surrey County Council is responsible for services such as education, roads, adult social care, and more. The government now proposes consolidating these responsibilities into fewer, larger unitary authorities that would manage all local services.

Two main models are under consideration: a three-unitary authority plan and a two-unitary authority plan. Under the three-unitary option, Haslemere would be part of a new “West Surrey” council, grouped with Waverley, Guildford, Woking, and Surrey Heath. This plan aims to balance population size, align with NHS boundaries, and preserve strong local voices through town and parish councils.

The two-unitary plan would create just two vast authorities — East Surrey and West Surrey — with Haslemere grouped into a large western area stretching from the Surrey Hills to Staines. Many locals worry this model would dilute Haslemere’s voice and could burden residents financially, as it would join councils such as Woking and Spelthorne, which together carry debts exceeding £3 billion.

At its most recent meeting, Haslemere Town Council unanimously voted in support of the three-unitary model, arguing it provides a better balance between local accountability and efficient service delivery. It aligns more closely with NHS boundaries, offers clearer planning zones, and allows town and parish councils to take on greater responsibility for services important to the community.

The town council has also submitted a detailed response to the government consultation, endorsing the three-unitary approach on all key questions. Their response highlights that this option strikes the right balance of population size, financial sustainability, and service delivery. It further notes that public engagement shows 63 per cent support for the three-unitary plan, which respects local identities and cultural ties far better than a larger, more distant authority.

Cllr John Robini criticised the consultation’s timing and scope. “The timing is awful,” he said. “There should have been much more time for public consultation. I can’t believe that localism is being pushed to one side — it makes much more sense for Haslemere to be grouped with Petersfield and West Sussex than with Staines, which is nothing like us.”

Cllr Jacquie Keen added: “Seventy per cent of residents don’t even know this is happening and we need them to so they can make their thoughts known. It has been done with such speed nobody has had a chance to alert anyone. If we join the two-unitary model, Haslemere will be left behind; we will be a backwater.”

Residents are urged to take part in the consultation before it closes at 5pm on Monday, August 5 2025. The decision will shape how local services such as education, housing, social care, waste collection, and road maintenance are delivered for decades.