2026 West Surrey Council election

2026 West Surrey Council election

←  2021 (Surrey) 7 May 2026 2031 →
All 90 seats to West Surrey Council 46 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party   Leader Paul Follows [1] Party Conservative Liberal Democrats Leader since 2024 Last election 25 seats, 42.2% 11 seats, 25.7% Seats before 22 14   Third party Fourth party   Leader Robert Evans [2] Party Residents Labour Leader since 2013 Last election 5 seats, 8.5% [3] 2 seats, 11.4% Seats before 4 2
Last election comparison to 2021 Surrey County Council election in West Surrey wards
Leader before election New council Leader after election TBD

The 2026 West Surrey Council election is due to take place on 7 May 2026 to elect the inaugural members to the newly-created West Surrey Council in England, with the transition to the new council expected by April 2027. ^{[4] [5]}

The election will have 45 wards, with redrawn boundaries but unchanged in number from the 45 West Surrey wards elected in the 2021 Surrey County Council election. However, they will be two-member wards rather than one-member as on Surrey County Council. ^[6]

Background

This election will be the first to the planned authority of West Surrey Council, which will operate as a "shadow" authority until 2027.

The Conservative Party won a majority of seats at the 2021 Surrey County Council election. Of the County Council seats in West Surrey, in 2021 the Conservatives won 25, the Liberal Democrats won 11, residents groups and independent candidates won 7, and the Labour Party won 2.

The Liberal Democrats hold a majority in three of the six district councils that will form West Surrey, with the other three councils being no overall control.

References

1. As Leader of Surrey Liberal Democrat Group
2. As leader of the Surrey Labour Group
3. Including three for the Farnham Residents and two for Residents for Guildford and Villages
4. Caulfield, Chris (28 October 2025). "Surrey to be split in two in council reorganisation". BBC News. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
5. "Surrey residents to benefit from improved public services". gov.uk. 28 October 2025. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
6. Miller, Ruth (28 October 2025). "Surrey LGR Chief Executives Letter" (PDF). gov.uk. Retrieved 28 October 2025.

See also

• Surrey County Council elections