What are the choices?

Can we avoid the looming black hole in our local democracy?

We can do three things:

1. Nothing.

2. Support Neighbourhood Area Committees

3. Push for creation of Parish / Town Councils.

2. Neighbourhood Area Committees

Surrey County Councils draft community engagement model

Neighbourhood Area Committees (NACs) will aim to bring people together and create real opportunities for local collaboration and insight gathering in towns and villages.
The purpose and focus of the NACs is to:

• Understand key local issues
• Agree priorities and champion collaborative action ​
• Promote preventative activity ​
• Support thriving communities
• Act as advisory bodies (not constituted)
• Supported by a range of engagement tools
• They will be led by unitary councillors who will advise, provide information and convey CB resolutions to the East Surrey authority, to be discussed there.

2a. Dorking and Villages NAC Pilot

Dorking & Villages’ is one of the pilot groups and potential members met in Capel, August 2025.

It should be noted that:

• The NACs are not constituted so they do not have direct decision-making powers. They will merely be advisory bodies sharing local intelligence and insight with decision making organisations.
• There has been no mention of any funding.
• Neighbourhood Area Committees can have access to specific funds, but it varies by local authority, with examples including council-allocated funds. Sunderland is an example
• Attendees at the pilot, were told the model being used by Surrey is based on Durham.
• It is not clear at present who will be invited to the table. If you are not a parish or a residents association.
• It is not clear at present how many organisations and what type of organisation will be on the NACs

Short read: NACs more information Medium read: Final Plan, read from page 74

Positives

• They will not cost more, unless the volunteers who attend will get travel expenses, which is unlikely.
• They will cover the whole of Surrey, so no area will be left unrepresented.
• A wide range of local groups and authorities (eg Fire Service, Police) will be involved.
• Councillors who run the groups will report directly to the East Surrey Authority.

Negatives

• It is purely advisory.
• Councillors will report back to a large authority which has to balance the needs and wishes of several different areas with different dynamics and political outlooks.
• It has only a delegated budget at its disposal so cannot initiate anything without East Surrey approval and allocation of money.
• There seems little provision for individual residents to take part.

Medium read: What do Community Boards achieve

Please note: The above link is from Buckingshire County Council who have an allocated budget to spend.

3. Push for creation of Parish / Town Councils.

What can they do?

• In short, it’s largely up to them.
• They work within strict legal parameters and often take on responsibilities which district councils have rejected (eg toilets).
• They are a statutory body
• There is provision for individual residents to take part.

What do they do?

• Right now they fill the hole between County and District/Borough councils, raising a small precept to cover their expenses and fulfil their legal obligations.

Precept

• To function they need MONEY and have to raise a precept (added to your council tax bill).

Short read: Parish Councils Responsibilities

3a. A local example: Horley Town Council.

Horley Town Plan Medium/long read: Horley Annual Report

3b. Godalming Town Council is another excellent example

Godalming Town Council is another excellent example

Godalming Town Council A - Z Godalming Town Council Website

3c. A Dorking Town Council

To set up a Dorking Town Council 7.5% of our electors need to agree.

Positive:

• A DTC would have a strong voice for Dorking, both locally and via our councillors to the new East Surrey Authority.
• It would be able to take over many of the non-statutory responsibilities of MVDC when it disappears. Many of these might not be taken on by the new authority.
• It would work closely with Dorking’s existing community groups and public services.
• It can join residents and launch/support campaigns to protect valuable local assets which could be sold off or made inaccessible to community groups.
• A Dorking Town Council is more likely to have a place on a Neighbourhood Area Committee.

Negative

• It needs a large number of Dorking residents to vote for it. This means extensive publicity and hard work in a short time-frame.
• People will have to agree to paying out more money. The government will have to agree to them raising a precept.
• It is harder to set up than a Neighbourhood Area Committee.

For more information and maps showing Surrey wide and MVDC parish councils see the Town and Parish Councils link below.