David Lewis

Strategic Investment Board - Monday, 17 February 2025 10.30 am

The Strategic Investment Board of Surrey County Council agreed to sell Ranger House, an office building in Guildford, to Surrey Property Group, a company which is wholly owned by the council. The board also agreed that the council should loan Surrey Property Group money to buy the building and carry out refurbishment works on it. These decisions were made after a discussion of the council's options for the building, which included selling it on the open market or carrying out a cheaper, smaller refurbishment.

Budget Meeting, Council - Tuesday, 4 February 2025 10.00 am

The Council voted to adopt its budget for 2025/26, increasing Council Tax by the maximum permitted 4.99% and making £66 million in savings. The Council also noted the Memorandum of Understanding between Surrey County Council and Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care Partnership and approved the revised Health and Wellbeing Board Terms of Reference.

Cabinet - Tuesday, 28 January 2025 2.00 pm

The Cabinet approved the 2025-26 budget and the Community Risk Management Plan. They also agreed to a number of recommendations made to them about children's services.

Extraordinary Meeting, Council - Wednesday, 8 January 2025 10.00 am

Surrey Council agreed to respond to the Government's request to participate in a joint devolution and local government reorganisation programme. This acceptance will likely mean that the 2025 County Council elections will be postponed. The Council also noted that the decision to respond to the government's letter was an executive decision for the Leader of the Council to make.

Extraordinary Meeting, Cabinet - Wednesday, 8 January 2025 2.30 pm

The Cabinet of Surrey Council voted to approve a response to the government's English Devolution White Paper[^2]. The response requests that Surrey be included in the government's accelerated devolution programme, and that local elections in May 2025 be postponed. Much of the meeting was spent discussing local government reorganisation, and the government's desire for two-tier authorities to be replaced with unitary authorities.