Local councils have launched a new information campaign to help people in Camberley, Surrey, prepare for a major change to how local services are run ahead of the elections on 7 May 2026.
The new guide explains the move to a unitary (single-tier) system in which the new West Surrey Council will take responsibility for services — from bin collections to social care — that are currently split between Surrey County Council and the borough and district councils.
Residents will vote this May to choose the first members of the new West Surrey Council, which will cover Surrey Heath (including the town of Camberley) and five other districts: Guildford, Runnymede, Spelthorne, Waverley and Woking.
According to Surrey County Council, the change is designed to save money and make it simpler for residents to get help by providing a single point of contact for local services.
While the new councillors will be elected soon, Surrey Heath Borough Council will continue to deliver services until 31 March 2027 while councillors elected in May serve as a shadow authority overseeing the transition; the new West Surrey Council will take on full powers from 1 April 2027.
