Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions his Department has had with Woking Borough Council on the steps it has taken following his predecessor Department's report of its non-statutory review into Woking Borough Council’s finances, investments and related governance in 2023.

The Department regularly engages with both local authorities and Commissioner teams during interventions. Commissioners are required to regularly submit formal reports on progress and challenges in the local authority to the Department. The reports of the Woking Borough Council commissioners since their appointment in May 2023 are publicly available on gov.uk here.

Alongside the government's decision to establish two unitary authorities in Surrey, we have committed to repay in-principle £500 million of Woking Borough Council’s debt in 2026-27 as a first instalment. We will continue to explore what further debt support is required at a later point. Any support must take into account value for money for the local and national taxpayer.