Matt Furniss

Communities, Environment and Highways Select Committee

Communities, Environment and Highways Select Committee - Thursday, 10 April 2025 10.00 am

The Communities, Environment and Highways Select Committee met on 10 April 2025 to discuss a utilities engagement programme, highways term maintenance contract performance and a forward work programme. The committee was also scheduled to discuss questions submitted by the councillors.

Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth Decisions

Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth Decisions - Monday, 24 March 2025 12.00 pm

During the meeting, Surrey County Council's Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth, Councillor Matt Furniss, approved the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) Phase 4 grant investment decisions, an update to the Highways and Transportation Asset Management Strategy, and changes to the Highway Hierarchy Policy, particularly concerning footways. The meeting also included a procedural item to exclude the public from a portion of the meeting to discuss exempt information.

Council

Council - Tuesday, 18 March 2025 10.00 am

The meeting began with a discussion of the future of local government in Surrey, with Councillor Tim Oliver, the Leader of the Council, and Councillor Catherine Powell, the Leader of the Opposition, outlining their differing perspectives. Councillor Oliver strongly advocated for the creation of two new Unitary Councils for Surrey, arguing that it would bring greater clarity, efficiency, and financial savings. Councillor Powell favoured three Unitary Councils, believing that it would deliver more localism and better reflect existing collaborations between boroughs. The meeting also touched on the growing debt issues in Woking and Spellthorne, prompting calls for government intervention. The Council then voted to submit its interim proposal on Local Government Reorganisation to the government.

Cabinet

Extraordinary Meeting, Cabinet - Tuesday, 18 March 2025 2.30 pm

The Cabinet of Surrey County Council voted to approve an interim plan for local government reorganisation in Surrey, based around the creation of two new unitary authorities to replace the existing two-tier system of a county council and 11 district and borough councils. The Council's preferred model of two unitary authorities will now be submitted to the government for consideration, alongside an alternative proposal for a three-unitary model put forward by the boroughs and districts.

Cabinet

Cabinet - Tuesday, 25 February 2025 2.00 pm

The Cabinet of Surrey County Council met on Tuesday 25 February 2025. The meeting included updates on the Council's Alternative Provision programme, its ongoing Customer Transformation Programme, and the Unit4/MySurrey system. The Cabinet also agreed to the creation of a new Surrey Materials Recycling Facility at Trumps Farm, as well as the adoption of new policies on economic growth and land management.