Principle 6 – Delivers high-quality, innovative and sustainable public services that are responsive to local need and enable wider public sector reform

In summary, it is vital that Surrey's local government boundaries align with the county's functional economic geographies to deliver high-quality, innovative, and sustainable public services that are responsive to local needs. Creating three unitary authorities will better reflect local identities and needs, enhancing strategic decision-making and service delivery. This approach will maximise economic growth, efficiency, and resident satisfaction by maintaining strong local connections and accountability. Services can be delivered most effectively when councils are configured around Surrey’s functional and coherent geographies, ensuring the best possible service delivery. Conversely, a two-unitary configuration would disrupt cohesive economic areas, leading to fragmented services and diminished community legitimacy. Examples from Dorset and Buckinghamshire illustrate the negative impacts of misaligned boundaries and the benefits of coherent ones. In Dorset, misaligned boundaries diluted local leadership and fragmented economic strategy. In contrast, Buckinghamshire's alignment of functional economic areas supported strategic investment and local growth.

Our proposal for three unitary authorities has been robustly developed to ensure the new councils are able to provide coherent strategic direction, holistic services, and improved outcomes for residents from day one. It will also support innovative transformation, financial sustainability, and wider public sector reform, placing system-wide prevention and early intervention at the forefront of service delivery. Ultimately, aligning boundaries with functional geographies is essential for effective service delivery, community empowerment, and realizing the benefits of a cohesive unitary area for organizational efficiency, local opportunities, and community wellbeing.