Local elections 2021: How do Surrey councils spend your money?

8 April 2021

England local elections 2021

Local elections will be held in Surrey on Thursday 6 May.

People in Surrey can cast their ballot in the county council elections, with district and borough councils also holding votes in Elmbridge, Mole Valley, Reigate and Banstead, Runnymede, Tandridge and Woking.

Local authorities are funded by a variety of sources, including council tax, government grants and other income, like parking charges.

Here is how £100 of your money get spent by these councils:

Surrey County Council

Serving a population of 1.2 million, Surrey is one of the largest local authorities in England.

Voters can elect councillors to the county council, which provides services like education, road maintenance, social care and public libraries. It expects to spend almost £1bn on "day-to-day" services, external this year.

In some parts of Surrey people can also vote for councillors on their local district or borough council, which is responsible for things like bin collections, parks, public housing and local planning applications.

With a smaller populations and fewer services to provide, district and borough councils typically spend much less than county councils.

Here is how the district and borough councils holding elections in Surrey on 6 May spend your money:

Elmbridge Borough Council

*For these services, shown in green, the authority received income greater than its expenditure