Protecting Haslemere’s identity, improving infrastructure and ensuring local voices are not lost in Surrey’s major council reorganisation are among the priorities set out by newly elected Liberal Democrat representative Oli Leach following his election to the West Surrey Unitary Shadow Council.

Leach, who lives, works and runs Oliver’s in Haslemere, described his election as both exciting and daunting, saying he feels a strong sense of responsibility representing the town during what is expected to be one of the biggest changes to local government in decades.

“It’s a mix of immense pride and a healthy dose of being daunted,” he said. “To have the community where I live, work and run a business put their trust in me is an incredible honour.”

“Haslemere has a very distinct heartbeat,” he added, “and I feel a huge responsibility to make sure that voice isn’t lost as we move toward this new unitary structure.”

For the next year, the authority will operate in “shadow” form ahead of formally taking over local government responsibilities in 2027, meaning much of the immediate work will focus on preparation, training and planning rather than direct service delivery.

“The immediate focus is ‘Shadowing 101’,” Leach said. “Because this first year is a transition period, my priority is getting stuck into the briefings and training to understand exactly how the West Surrey Unitary Council will function.”

“It’s about building the relationships now so that when we go live in 2027, Haslemere is at the front of the queue, not an afterthought,” he added.

Among the biggest concerns raised by residents during the election campaign, he said, were the condition of local infrastructure, road maintenance and protecting green spaces from overdevelopment.

“The state of our local infrastructure and the protection of our green spaces were major talking points on the doorstep,” he said.

Although the shadow council will initially have limited powers, Leach said he intends to use the transition period to push existing councils to continue addressing immediate local concerns.

“Even though my action powers are limited during this shadow year, I’ll be using this time to lobby the existing county and borough tiers to ensure Haslemere’s immediate concerns — like road maintenance and high street vitality — don’t fall through the cracks during the transition,” he said.

Leach also said accessibility and communication with residents would remain central to how he approaches the role. He plans to hold regular surgeries, alternating between in-person meetings and digital sessions, while maintaining an active presence on social media and continuing informal conversations with residents around the town.

“Being accessible is everything,” he said. “As a local business owner, I’m also on the ground daily, so I’m always happy to have a quick chat when people see me out and about.”

One issue he believes has not received enough attention is the fear among residents that smaller towns could lose influence within a much larger authority structure.

“I think there’s a real fear that with the move to a larger unitary authority, the hyper-local issues that matter to a town like Haslemere might get drowned out by larger urban centres,” he said.

“Success looks like a seamless transition where Haslemere residents feel they have more influence, not less,” he added. “If people feel their concerns are being heard and acted upon by a more efficient, responsive council, then I’ll know I’ve done my job.”