Local Government Reorganisation

Al is campaigning to ensure Surrey Heath residents have a strong voice in local government and can rely on the services their council provides. He opposed the cancellation of the May 2025 local elections and continues challenging the Government over the cost and accountability of reorganisation.

West Surrey Council will take over local services in April 2027, bringing together six boroughs, including Surrey Heath. In March 2026, Al led a parliamentary debate questioning whether promised savings would materialise and how the new council would cope with inherited debt and the costs of reorganisation.

He has pressed Ministers to explain how residents will be protected from service cuts or higher costs. Although the Government has committed £500 million towards Woking’s debt, decisions about further support remain outstanding. Al is demanding a lasting financial settlement so that historic borrowing does not undermine essential services.

In September, he joined other Surrey MPs in challenging the decision to continue Surrey’s reorganisation while plans elsewhere were legally under review. They called for financial assumptions to be reassessed, clarity over potential liabilities and additional support for the transition.

Al will continue pressing for transparent finances, stronger scrutiny and meaningful local representation. His priority is ensuring the new council can deliver for residents, from maintaining roads to supporting vulnerable children and adults.