As the Liberal Democrat MPs for Woking, Guildford and Surrey Heath, we are glad to finally get confirmation and clarification for council reorganisation in Surrey and the upcoming local elections next year.  

Elections will take place in May 2026, with new councils created in 2027.  

Surrey County Council, and all Borough and District Councils in Surrey will be abolished, and new West Surrey and East Surrey unitary councils will be established. Guildford, Runnymede, Spellthorne, Surrey Heath, Waverley, and Woking will be in the West Surrey Council, stretching from Haslemere to Staines.  

We are determined to work together across Surrey to ensure that this delivers for all local residents. 

However, we continue to have grave concerns over West Surrey’s financial sustainability. At the moment, it could be bankrupt from day one. We will continue to press the Government to ensure that this council won’t start on the back foot.  

Fortunately, the Government have acknowledged this position after endless lobbying and are writing off £500 million of this debt.  

Will Forster, Member of Parliament for Woking, said:  

“This is historic, the Government have never written off a local authority’s debt before. I am relieved that the Government have finally taken my advice and acknowledged that the Conservatives have failed Surrey and are willing to step in so that residents don’t suffer for years to come. 

“Though this won’t write off all the debt, it certainly is a step in the right direction. As Woking’s MP I will continue to push, with my colleagues, to ensure that this council isn’t saddled with historic debts. 

“Also, the Government have conceded that there will be a need for more support in the future.”  

About the upcoming elections Mr Forster added: 

“The cast iron guarantee that I asked for at PMQs has finally arrived, albeit a week later than I had hoped for. I am happy that Surrey residents have their democratic right restored and will be able to go to vote next May.” 

The prisoner released is a Woking resident whose offences have predominantly taken place within Woking. 

Will Forster, the Liberal Democrat MP for Woking, has slammed the mistaken release of a second prisoner from HMP Wandsworth, describing the situation as “utterly unacceptable” and “distressing for Woking residents that a prisoner wrongfully released might have returned to our town.”  

This is the third such error in less than two weeks, following the mistaken release of an Algerian man from the same prison on 29 October, and another prisoner who was wrongly released from HMP Chelmsford just five days earlier on 24 October. 

Mr Forster said: 

“It’s utterly unacceptable that this person was wrongly released, especially on top of Brahim Kaddour-Cherif’s mistaken release from the same prison last week. 

“I have been informed that the police are actively working to apprehend this person as soon as possible, and they have reassured me that there is no indication of risk to the wider public. 

“I understand that this is distressing for Woking residents that a prisoner wrongfully released might have returned to our town. 

“I urge any residents with any information to contact police immediately via 101 or 999 if necessary. 

“This is yet another grave mistake from the Government. The public deserves a full explanation about how this has happened again. Both the Government and the Prison Service must own up to their failures and guarantee that these mistakes will stop happening once and for all.” 

Mr Forster is continuing to press the Government and the Prison Service for answers and assurances that robust measures are being taken to prevent any further wrongful releases. 

As the Liberal Democrat MPs for Woking, Guildford and Surrey Heath, we are glad to finally get confirmation and clarification for council reorganisation in Surrey and the upcoming local elections next year.  

Elections will take place in May 2026, with new councils created in 2027.  

Surrey County Council, and all Borough and District Councils in Surrey will be abolished, and new West Surrey and East Surrey unitary councils will be established. Guildford, Runnymede, Spellthorne, Surrey Heath, Waverley, and Woking will be in the West Surrey Council, stretching from Haslemere to Staines.  

We are determined to work together across Surrey to ensure that this delivers for all local residents. 

However, we continue to have grave concerns over West Surrey’s financial sustainability. At the moment, it could be bankrupt from day one. We will continue to press the Government to ensure that this council won’t start on the back foot.  

Fortunately, the Government have acknowledged this position after endless lobbying and are writing off £500 million of this debt.  

Will Forster, Member of Parliament for Woking, said:  

“This is historic, the Government have never written off a local authority’s debt before. I am relieved that the Government have finally taken my advice and acknowledged that the Conservatives have failed Surrey and are willing to step in so that residents don’t suffer for years to come. 

“Though this won’t write off all the debt, it certainly is a step in the right direction. As Woking’s MP I will continue to push, with my colleagues, to ensure that this council isn’t saddled with historic debts. 

“Also, the Government have conceded that there will be a need for more support in the future.”  

About the upcoming elections Mr Forster added: 

“The cast iron guarantee that I asked for at PMQs has finally arrived, albeit a week later than I had hoped for. I am happy that Surrey residents have their democratic right restored and will be able to go to vote next May.” 

Woking’s MP, Will Forster, has slammed the Prime Minister for refusing to guarantee that local elections will take place next May - leaving voters in the dark over whether they’ll get their say at the ballot box.

Speaking in the House of Commons during Prime Minister’s Questions, Mr Forster demanded a cast iron guarantee that voters in Woking, and across the country, would not lose their democratic right to vote.

It comes after The Times reported that local elections could be delayed for the second year running. While the Leader of Surrey County Council has made clear he has not asked for elections in Surrey to be cancelled, other Conservative figures have reportedly done so elsewhere.

In response, the Prime Minister refused to rule out a delay - saying only that his government had inherited a bad local government position and would be setting out the planned timetable shortly. 

Will Forster said:

“It’s astonishing that the Prime Minister can’t even guarantee people the right to vote next May.

“People in Woking deserve their say at the ballot box — democracy must never be put on hold.”

Forster added that the uncertainty was “deeply worrying” and accused the government of “ducking accountability.”

The Liberal Democrats have won the most by-elections on what has been dubbed ‘Super Thursday’, winning 7 out of the 10 council seats up. The wins came in Surrey but also in Preston, Lancashire, where the party gained from Labour, beating Reform to the win.

The party’s gains include Camberley in Surrey, which Ed Davey visited last week. It is in Surrey Heath constituency, won by the Liberal Democrats in the General Election, previously held by Michael Gove.

The party won in Caterham, in the East Surrey constituency, held by Shadow Cabinet member Claire Coutinho.

Last night it emerged that the Conservative administration at Surrey County Council was attempting to delay the elections by another year, reported by the Times. The Liberal Democrats labelled the news “a disgraceful stitch up between Labour and the Conservatives”, adding that “Tory-run councils are running scared and denying voters a chance to kick them out of office”.

These results show the Liberal Democrats are on track to win the new East and West unitary councils, ending 50 years of Conservative failure in Surrey. The people of Surrey are more and more fed up with Conservative debt, pothole-plagued roads, and failing children's services.

Leader Ed Davey said that “what remains of the Blue Wall is crumbling away.”

But the Liberal Democrats’ wins weren’t just against the Conservatives. The party gained from the Greens in nearby Spelthorne.

The party also beat Reform to gain a seat from Labour in Preston.

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said:

“What remains of the Blue Wall is crumbling away. People across Surrey and beyond have voted for true community champions who will put them first.

“The Liberal Democrats are winning against the Conservatives, but also Labour, Reform and the Greens.

“These results show that the public have not forgiven the Conservatives for the mess they left the country in. Former Conservative voters feel abandoned by Kemi Badenoch’s lurch to the right, mimicking Farage instead of standing up for true British values. The Conservatives are on their way out in councils across the country.”

On reports that elections may be delayed again, he added:

“This is a disgraceful stitch up between Labour and the Conservatives. The Liberal Democrats made sweeping gains against the Conservatives in Surrey, Hampshire and across the Blue Wall at the General Election, and now they are running scared and denying voters a chance to kick them out of office.”

Will Forster MP Marks One Year Since Historic Election Win – Vows to Keep Delivering for Woking 

One year ago, the Liberal Democrats made history, winning 72 seats across the country – including a landmark victory in Woking. Since then, Will Forster, Woking’s first-ever Liberal Democrat MP, has been standing up for local people and fighting hard to deliver real change.

Reflecting on his first year in Parliament, Will Forster said:

“It’s the honour of a lifetime to serve as the MP for Woking. Over the past year, I’ve worked tirelessly to put our community first – tackling the issues that matter to local people and holding those in power to account.

“That includes challenging the £2 billion debt crisis left by the previous Conservative-run Council by getting the Government to reduce the interest rate Woking has to pay and to ensure that the new local authority will not be burdened by debt.

“I’m also working to honour the legacy of Sara Sharif by campaigning for 'Sara’s Law' – new national standards to improve early intervention in child safeguarding, to help prevent such devastating tragedies in future.

“As Chair of the new All-Party Parliamentary Group on South Western Railway, I’m fighting to improve rail services for commuters in Woking and beyond – making sure passengers get the reliable, affordable service they deserve.

“It’s been a hugely productive first year, and I’m proud of all we’ve achieved together. But this is just the beginning – I’m determined to keep listening, keep working, and keep delivering for everyone in Woking.”