The Legal functions of both councils will merge following a major decision by ‘Your Waverley’s  Extraordinary Council Meeting. 

However, a handful of Tories, led by their group leader, Cllr  Jane Austin, typically opposed the plan.

The Tories have been opposed to any collaboration between authorities from the outset. But favour Surrey being split into two or a single Unitary authority. A move which residents’ surveys have opposed

Cllr Austin claimed a predicted 4% annual savings for both authorities was too small, the risks were high, the cost of transferring staff was too high, and the change was rushed for authorities on the cusp of local government reorganisation. She wanted any decision deferred until the Autumn, during which time the future of local authorities would be more certain. “Then we can make a more informed decision.”

Echoing her words, Cllr Michael Goodridge argued that the”rushed timeframe of July 1 – just ten days away – for implementation.  Talks with the unions and staff would be rushed.  Claiming:

“Will it be a rushed consultation or  a whitewash?”

However, their concerns were dismissed by others, saying the move was not just about monetary savings.  It would put both authorities, and in particular their staff, in a much better position in the future with LGR. The new team would be the only authority combining legal and information services for two local authorities.

 The G & W Legal and Information Team would be resilient enough to handle the huge workload before LGR due to a flood of land and asset transfers required by the parish and town councils in both Waverley & Guildford.

Leader Paul Follows said the savings would not be restricted to just 4% going forward; it could be considerably more. It was also likely that Waverley & Guildford would still be going for another two years.

Cllr Victoria Keihl said, “Just this week, on one transaction alone, the authorities had saved £5,000.

She stressed the consultation with staff and unions was already well progressed.

Cash-strapped councils needed every penny they could muster.

Legal Services and Information Governance are both back-office functions that provide essential support to enable the exercise of functions and delivery of services across the authorities.

The Legal Services and Information Governance teams of both authorities are key services that support the delivery of all the authorities’ objectives, ensuring they meet all statutory and legal requirements.

Both authorities currently operate in-house services which report to the Assistant Director for Legal Services and Information Governance.

External legal support is obtained when it is identified as necessary, either due to complexity or capacity constraints. The budget for the internal staff costs, with oncosts, is £1,050,669 at Waverley Borough Council and £1,319,620 at Guildford Borough Council. External spend on legal services for the financial year 24/25 at Waverley Borough Council is £618,872, and at Guildford Borough Council is £579,026.

Both authorities currently have contracts in place for case management systems and online resources. Having a single contract in place rather than two contracts will enable the authorities to attract better rates, creating savings.

  Guildford’s Legal Services and Information Governance team has a total of 22 FTE. (Full-time equivalents.)

The motion to join forces was approved by a vote of 25 to 7, with one abstention. The transfer takes place on 1 July 2025.

G & W have been sharing legal expertise for some considerable time.

 The total cost, excluding on-costs, is £1,009,739, with an additional £135,893 in funding from the Housing Revenue Account for services provided beyond business as usual.

The Waverley Legal Services and Information Governance team has already been increased over the financial year 24/25 following a restructuring.

The team provides advice and support, and also deals with contract disputes.  The property team advises on all matters relating to land assets, including conveyancing, leases, easements, licences, and rights to buy. They also advise on issues about land ownership by local authorities, such as appropriation and consents, and resolve disputes.

Litigation and licensing – prosecutions relating to non-compliance for planning and regulatory services, and dealing with challenges to the authorities’ decision-making.

They provide advice and guidance throughout the investigative process. Advising members on licensing matters and attending hearings. 

Planning – provide advice to officers and the committee. Negotiate and draft S106 agreements and unilateral undertakings. They deal with planning appeals and also review applications.