1 April 2027

West Surrey Council is due to take over services from Woking, Guildford, Runnymede, Spelthorne, Surrey Heath and Waverley, plus county services in that area. Existing councils continue providing services until 31 March 2027.

Borrowing needs a date

Reported borrowing at 31 March 2025 was £2.16bn for Woking and £140.3m for Waverley. Spelthorne reported £715m outstanding loan debt after refinancing in November 2025. These figures cover different dates; they are not a verified opening balance for West Surrey.

£500m committed to Woking debt

The government announced the commitment on 28 October 2025. A minister confirmed that payments began on 1 and 3 September 2026, but did not give their amounts in that answer. The full commitment must not be treated as already paid.

Your council tax

A council's borrowing is not a personal bill for each resident. This review has not established the 2027/28 West Surrey council tax schedule. Check your own council's notice for your current charge and any support available.

What to follow next

Look for published decisions on debt allocation, asset sale completions, net receipts available for debt repayment and the new council's budget. A planned sale is not a completed recovery.