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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Written Statement of 28 October 2025 entitled Local Government Reorganisation, HCWS998, what scheduled elections in (a) 2026 and (b) 2027, will be cancelled following the Surrey reorganisation; and what new elections for local government bodies will take place in (i) 2026 and (ii) 2027.

It continues to be expected, by both the Government and council leaders in Surrey, that the new unitary councils in Surrey will come into effect from 1 April 2027. From this time the only councils for the area will be the two new councils, which will have held elections in May 2026. We will bring to the House, for approval, a Structural Changes Order, which will provide for the establishment of the two new councils, abolish the existing councils, and make the necessary electoral arrangements, including replacing the scheduled County and District elections in May 2026 with elections to the new councils.