Tonight, Waverley’s Executive will consider whether to take a giant leap towards its ‘collaboration’ with Guildford Borough Council.
Surely, co-locating Waverley and Guildford’s staff on shared premises and holding joint executive meetings is a significant step towards changing the present ‘collaboration’ arrangements to a full merger of the two authorities. Isn’t it?
.A vision for the partnership was reported to both Guildford Borough Council and Waverley Borough Council Full Council meetings in July.
If the project to explore closer ties is approved by the Executive tonight and considered and agreed upon by the full council in February, Waverley and Guildford’s Tory Groups are expected to oppose the move.
Both Tory groups have vociferously opposed any collaboration between the two councils.
Before it takes a huge step, both councils will receive a report with an options appraisal to explore the possibilities of a single-shared office structure in an HQ and the costs involved. In doing so.
Tonight, the Executive could agree to spend (£100,000 of revenue and £100,000 of capital. For Guildford Borough Council, this will be funded by the flexible use of capital receipts and its Finance Recovery Reserve.
For Waverley, this will be funded from the ( invest to save reserve) to support the initial start-up of the programme and note how the money will be spent to secure officer support.
All 11 Surrey Borough and District Councils were opposed to the bid in 2020 by Surrey County Council to broker a Unitary Authority.
Bye Bye ‘ Your Waverley’ Hello ‘Surrey?’
Is Surrey’s Leaders bid for a Unitary Authority crashing and burning.
The Hon. Angie helping Boris prepare the ground for a behemoth unitary authority.
Here’s the full report for tonight’s meeting
Waverley is clinging on by a broken finger nail. Guildford is broken and it will take massive cuts to survive. I cannot see either surviving. Certainly a merger will cut costs but services will follow.
The Conservatives don’t have enough votes to stop this and most will be thinking of jumping ship rather than being seen to be part of what follows. Doesn’t look good on the CV being a councillor on a bust council. Expect resignations.
I anticipate tears before bedtime.
I think that Waverley Rate Payers should be asked by a referendum vote if they approve of a merger of Waverley with Guildford and the vote being decisive. Similarly a Rate payer vote should be held if it is proposed to merge into Surrey CC again