A once in a generation opportunity to “do things better” and change Surrey forever has been lost, said the leader of Waverley Borough Council as local government reorganisation plans moved forward this week.

Councillor Paul Follows (Liberal Democrats: Godalming Central and Ockford) said the county-imposed rush has stripped “almost all of the vision” from any plans at the alter of getting things done quickly.

The Government wrote to councils this year saying  reorganisation plans needed to be submitted by May 9 to be considered for devolution.

Surrey County Council asked for this year’s elections to be cancelled to give officers time to meet the tight deadline – and this week its councillors backed dissolving the 11 boroughs and districts, together with the county, and replace them with two mega authorities.

Waverley, along with the majority of the boroughs and districts, however favour a shift to three councils saying this would be a better fit for Surrey, and give residents a greater sense of place and identify – as well distribute wealth and poverty more evenly.

Both plans for such a seismic shift in how our services are delivered  though, were rushed through in months, rather than “what should have been years of planning and discussions”.

Cllr Follows told the Tuesday, May 6, meeting: “Reform of local government could and should have  been an opportunity to do things better and to do things properly.

“It could have been an opportunity to make local government work for residents and instead what we have is this.

“This version of the process, started by the county, compresses  what should have been years of planning and discussion into mere months.

“It strips almost all of the vision from this subject and makes it almost exclusively  about money in 2025 and not about the next 50 years.

“But any version of this process, any map under discussion, I am concerned that debt and other issues elsewhere whenever you are in Surrey will mean higher taxes, reduced services and the final and complete elimination of all discretionary spend anywhere that is helping vulnerable people.”

He added: “However you cut it. From Staines to Haslemere, Oxted to Farnham, it is simply too big, and yes three unitary is still large but they at least try to recognise economic zones, housing areas, work travel routes and other basic affinities.”

The three-council plan would put Epsom & Ewell, Mole Valley, Reigate & Banstead and Tandridge into East Surrey. Elmbridge, Runnymede and Spelthorne would become North Surrey, and Guildford, Surrey Heath, Waverley and Woking in West Surrey. Sitting atop all three would be a directly elected mayor.

The county council voted to split Surrey in two with  the most heavily indebted boroughs, Woking, Spelthorne, Runnymede and Surrey Heath, merged together.

Ultimately it will be for the Government to decide – and  it may even want a single massive council as this would be the cheapest way forward.

Cllr Liz Townsend (Liberal Democrats; Division: Cranleigh and Ewhurst)  said the future of local government in Surrey was at a crossroads and faced a once in a generation opportunity to shape how communities are governed, services delivered and residents heard.

She said: “The impacts are so fundamental that this should have gone to the ballot box on May 1.

“Right now it’s hard to point to any immediate benefits to Waverley residents.

“They will have escalating council tax bills and the potential use of the borough’s assets to cover for others’ profligacy.

“But here is the truth, we can’t stop reorganisation, we can’t delay it and it is happening and we have a responsibility to those who we represent to do the best we can on their behalf.”

The timeline she said was “brutal” and “rushed”.

She added: “And we know why, the driver is the eye-watering debt, including Surrey County Council’s own debt burden of around £1.9billion.

“This is the urgency and any delay will have a real impact on services that our residents depend on adult social care and special education.”

Cllr Carol Cockburn: (Conservative; Farnham Bourne) said: “This is one of the most important decisions we’ve had to make but let’s be honest, we’re not making it, it doesn’t matter what we send in.

“The sad fact is, it’s not going to make a jot of difference.

“It’s not going to make any difference what I think, what you think, what any of us thinks, it’s going to go in and it’s going to be a central government decision.

“All we can do is work with whatever comes in the mix.”