Tell the new West Surrey Council what it should prioritise: the survey runs to 15 November, with Woking drop-ins on 28 October, 6 November and 12 November.
Woking residents can now tell the new West Surrey Council what it should do first. A survey on the council’s draft priorities is open until 11.59pm on Sunday 15 November.
West Surrey Council replaces Woking Borough Council, five other borough councils and Surrey County Council’s services in the west of the county on 1 April 2027. It is writing the long-term plan that will guide its services and spending, and it wants residents’ views before that plan is settled. Woking Borough Council announced the survey on Friday.
Where to talk to the council in Woking
Three drop-in sessions are still to come in the borough:
| Date | Time | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday 28 October | 11am to 2pm | Goldsworth Park Shopping Centre |
| Friday 6 November | 10am to 3pm | Woking Means Business exhibition, Hilton Hotel (free entry) |
| Thursday 12 November | 10.30am to 1.30pm | Woking Voluntary Sector Fair, Woking Leisure Centre (free entry) |
Two earlier sessions took place at Woking Library on Friday 23 October. The council says the drop-ins are a chance to ask questions and speak directly to representatives of the new council.
What the survey asks
The survey is on Surrey Says, the county’s consultation site. It is meant for people whose council tax bill comes from Guildford, Runnymede, Spelthorne, Surrey Heath, Waverley or Woking. The council estimates it takes 10 to 15 minutes.
It asks you to rate the draft ambitions under four themes:
- A thriving and sustainable West Surrey: the environment, town and village centres, travel, community spaces and homes
- A supportive West Surrey: health and care support, and the housing people need
- A prosperous West Surrey: jobs, local businesses and a share in the local economy
- A trusted and well-run council: reliable services, spending public money wisely and listening to residents
Under the first theme, for example, the large print version of the questionnaire asks you to pick the three that matter most to you from a list of seven. The list includes making it easier and safer to travel around, improving leisure centres and libraries, and giving people more say in decisions about their area.
The money behind it
The survey page is frank about the finances. It says the new council “will face significant financial challenges from day one” and “will inherit debt and financial commitments from predecessor authorities”. Some historic debt will be managed separately from day-to-day services, it adds, but pressures will remain.
For Woking that is not abstract. The borough council issued a section 114 notice in 2023, and its ThamesWey loans were written down again in the latest accounts.
Cllr Paul Follows, Leader of the West Surrey Shadow Authority, said the new council “will face significant financial challenges from day one” like councils across the country. “That makes it even more important that we understand local priorities and focus our resources where they can have the greatest impact,” he said.
What it means for you
- Online: fill in the survey on Surrey Says before 11.59pm on 15 November.
- On paper: any Surrey library has hard copies, and you can hand them back there. You can also post them to FOA West Surrey Survey, c/o Corporate Strategy Team, Guildford Borough Council, Millmead House, Millmead, Guildford GU2 4BB.
- Other formats: large print and screen reader versions are on the survey page, and Surrey County Council says Easy Read versions are coming. For another format or language, call 03456 009 009.
- In person: go to one of the three Woking sessions above.
This survey is separate from the consultation on West Surrey’s council tax reduction scheme, which closes on 3 December. That one decides how much help with council tax low-income households will get from April 2027, so it is worth answering both if it affects you. The shadow authority has already chosen where the new council will be run from.
Have your say