Council leader accused of bias over report

The conversation was broadcast online before the meeting started

A council leader has defended himself after he appeared to ask an officer to "skew" a proposal to support his party's policy on local government reform.

In a recorded video, Paul Follows, leader of Waverley Borough Council, was heard asking the chief executive if a report into government reform could be "skewed towards actively promoting" three unitary authorities for Surrey county.

Councillor Follows said it was an "informal exchange" before the meeting started, but the Conservatives say his Liberal group were "seeking to exploit the shift to unitary local government in Surrey for their own personal gain".

Surrey has until March 21 to submit proposals to central government on what reorganisation could look like, and will suggest either two or three councils covering the county.

Mike Brennan, the chairman of the Surrey Conservatives, has called for the leader to resign because of what he has called "unethical behaviour".

"This is shabby local politics at its worst and evidences why we need a smaller unitary authority to get people like Follows out," he added.

'No secret'

Councillor Follows said: "I was simply asking for the commentary included in the proposal to be explicit that of the two options, we preferred three unitaries covering Surrey, and the evidence clearly supports this.

"I have made no secret of the fact that I believe the interests of Surrey residents would best be served if the new councils cover consistent geographic and economic areas."

The council leader explained that the proposals have to be agreed across all 11 district and borough councils in Surrey.