The House | Surrey’s parish and town councils offer a blueprint for devolution success

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Currently in the Lords, the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill will determine the funding, responsibilities, and relationships between all tiers of local government.

My county of Surrey has benefited from a successful tapestry of governance, with one county equalling eleven districts and boroughs currently reorganising into two unitary authorities. As an MP, I love working with all forms of government – each brings a different perspective to community engagement.

The Devolution Bill presents huge opportunities to reshape how public services are delivered and how local places and people are supported. However, caution is needed as there are huge potential risks from devolution if implemented poorly.

For me, the most apparent issue is the lack of clarity demonstrated so far around parish and town councils, and their place in this new system. Thankfully, a recent report has outlined how Surrey is leading the way, and how the rest of the country can follow suit.

The Surrey Association of Local Councils (SALC) has outlined how the 80+ town and parish councils in the county play a central role in governance – delivering better services, creating more vibrant places, and building stronger, more resilient communities.

The report also sets out the staggering contribution that parish and town councils make to communities. In Surrey alone, these councils have invested more than £11 million a year, directly into their communities. This has funded a variety of community-based projects. The results of these have been incredible – reducing anti-social behaviour, managing community spaces, reducing pressure on public services by supporting volunteers, befriending schemes, and community networks, as well as cutting pollution.

Taking the example of Surrey nationally, it’s clear that when it comes to English devolution, early planning and genuine collaboration with parish and town councils will be essential to sustain the community services that residents rely on every day. This is clear in the report.  

SALC noted just how beneficial parish and town councils can be for other forms of government. For example, in just one year, improving access to parks and open spaces can generate around £115,000 in health and social care savings, while investing £300,000 in youth services can return an estimated £960,000 through better health outcomes and reduced crime.

These figures show local councils are not a cost to be cut, but one of the smartest investments taxpayers can make.

With elections taking place in 2026, ahead of the unitary councils going live in 2027, SALC is calling for early, proactive partnership working between the new authorities and town and parish councils.

The report outlines practical next steps, including local “deals” to support the transfer of services to town and parish councils where appropriate, and support for communities that wish to create new town and parish councils.

By working together from the outset, SALC believes Surrey can avoid essential community services and assets being lost, and residents feeling remote from the new, much larger authorities – and instead ensure communities continue to feel heard, supported, and proud of where they live. This is also the case for the rest of the country.

As England’s governance is on the cusp of being reshaped, the report is clear: strong, vibrant communities are built from the ground up – and collaboration with town and parish councils is key to making local government reform a success.