Views sought on plans branded 'waste of time'

The consultation comes amid plans to reorganise local governance in Surrey

A Surrey council is set to ask residents if they want one or more community or parish councils across the borough, in addition to a new mega council, under local government reorganisation.

The driving force behind the proposal is concerns over a "local democratic deficit", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council (EEBC) hopes the proposed 'community councils' would fill the void and give residents' back their voice in local issues.

However, councillor Julian Freeman has branded the plan a "waste of time".

'Local democracy at risk'

As part of local government reorganisation, EEBC will be dissolved in April 2027 along with all 12 district, borough and county councils in Surrey.

Two or three new super unitary councils will then be created.

Councillor John Beckett has also criticised the reorganisation plans.

"Let's not be under any illusion, these changes are about centralisation of power and money at the expense of local democracy," he said.

He warned if Epsom and Ewell is absorbed into a mega council, the population of 81,100 could be represented by 10 councillors.

The borough currently has 35 councillors.

The consultation on introducing the new community or parish councils is due to start in July 2025 and will run for 12 weeks.

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Community councils, similar to parish councils, could take on responsibilities such as managing parks, bus shelters, community centres or street lighting and act as a local voice on planning applications, although these details would be clarified later.

But adding another layer would go against the government's goal behind reorganisation which is to simplify the current two-tier council structures.

Some councillors were sceptical if people in Epsom and Ewell wanted more councils or would respond to the consultation.

"For me this is a complete waste of time, money... and effort when we've got other priorities that are very much being neglected," added councillor Julian Freeman.