Surrey Heath is a local government district with borough status in Surrey, England. Its council is based in Camberley. Much of the area is within the Metropolitan Green Belt.
Surrey Heath | |
|---|---|
| Motto(s): Festina diligenter (Latin: Make haste carefully) | |
 Surrey Heath shown within Surrey | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Constituent country | England |
| Region | South East England |
| Non-metropolitan county | Surrey |
| Status | Non-metropolitan district |
| Admin HQ | Camberley |
| Incorporated | 1 April 1974 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Non-metropolitan district council |
| • Body | Surrey Heath Borough Council |
| • MPs | Al Pinkerton (Lib Dem) |
| Area | |
• Total | 36.7 sq mi (95.1 km2) |
| • Rank | 202nd (of 296) |
| Population (2022) | |
• Total | 91,237 |
| • Rank | 261st (of 296) |
| • Density | 2,500/sq mi (960/km2) |
| Ethnicity (2021) | |
| • Ethnic groups | |
| Religion (2021) | |
| • Religion | List
|
| Time zone | UTC0 (GMT) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (BST) |
| ONS code | 43UJ (ONS) E07000214 (GSS) |
| OS grid reference | SU8752760851 |
The neighbouring districts are Runnymede, Woking, Guildford, Rushmoor, Hart, Bracknell Forest, and Windsor and Maidenhead.
History
editThe district was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972. The new district covered the area of two former districts, which were both abolished at the same time:[2]
The new district was named "Surrey Heath" in recognition of the extensive areas of heathland it contains, including Chobham Common and Lightwater Country Park, which form part of the wider Thames Basin Heaths.[3] The new district was granted borough status from its creation, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor.[4]
Governance
editSurrey Heath Borough Council | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
Chief Executive (interim) | Nick Steevens since 1 July 2024[7] |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 35 councillors |
Political groups |
|
| Elections | |
Last election | 4 May 2023 |
Next election | 6 May 2027 |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| Surrey Heath House, Knoll Road, Camberley, GU15 3HD | |
| Website | |
| www | |
Surrey Heath Borough Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Surrey County Council. The eastern part of the borough is also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.[8]
Political control
editSince the 2023 election the council has been under Liberal Democrat majority control. Prior to 2023 the council had been led by Conservatives from its creation in 1974.
The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new arrangements came into effect on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows:[9]
| Party in control | Years | |
|---|---|---|
| Conservative | 1974–2020 | |
| No overall control | 2020–2021 | |
| Conservative | 2021–2022 | |
| No overall control | 2022–2023 | |
| Liberal Democrats | 2023–present | |
Leadership
editThe role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Surrey Heath. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1996 have been:[10]
| Councillor | Party | From | To | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vivienne Chapman | Conservative | pre-1996 | 27 May 1998 | |
| Moira Gibson[11] | Conservative | 27 May 1998 | 27 Feb 2019 | |
| Richard Brooks[12][13] | Conservative | 27 Feb 2019 | 20 Jan 2020 | |
| Alan McClafferty | Conservative | 29 Jan 2020 | 17 May 2023 | |
| David Whitcroft | Liberal Democrats | 17 May 2023 | 28 Jun 2023 | |
| Shaun Macdonald | Liberal Democrats | 28 Jun 2023 | ||
Composition
editFollowing the 2023 election (including a postponed election in one ward) and a subsequent change of allegiance in July 2024, the composition of the council was:
| Party | Councillors | |
|---|---|---|
| Liberal Democrats | 23 | |
| Conservative | 6 | |
| Independent | 4 | |
| Labour | 2 | |
| Total | 35 | |
Three of the four independent councillors sit together as "The Community Group".[14] The next election is due in 2027.[15]
Premises
editThe council is based at Surrey Heath House on Knoll Road in Camberley. The building was purpose-built for the council for £4.25m and was completed in 1987. The building was formally opened by Valerian Wellesley, Duke of Wellington on 17 July 1987.[16]
Controversies
editIn 2016 the council bought The Square, the main shopping centre in the centre of Camberley, for £109 million.[17] By early 2023 the centre was reportedly valued at only £30 million, and the rents being received did not cover the interest payments on the debts the council had incurred in buying it.[18]
In 2020 the council's chief executive, Karen Whelan, resigned after an independent investigation found that a 30% increase in her remuneration during 2018–19 compared to the year before had been unlawfully approved by the former leader of the council, Moira Gibson.[19][20][21]
Geography
editThe area forms the heart of the heath that spans Esher, Oxshott, Weybridge, Wisley, all around Woking, Brookwood, Deepcut, Pirbright, Frimley, Lightwater, Camberley, Chobham Common, Virginia Water and Ottershaw. It is made up of naturally wet, very acid sandy and loamy soil, which is just 1.9% of English soil and 0.2% of Welsh soil, which gives rise to pines and coniferous landscapes, such as pioneered at Wentworth and Foxhills estate (now spa, hotel, restaurant and golf club) by pro-American independence statesman Charles James Fox.[22] In geology it gives rise to the name, Bagshot Formation.
The western section of the district is largely urbanised, with heaths nonetheless providing substantial green buffer around Camberley, Lightwater, Deepcut, Frimley, Frimley Green and Mytchett. The east of the district is less urbanized, and contains Surrey Heath's four civil parishes:[23]
- Bisley
- Chobham (includes Castle Green and Mimbridge)
- West End
- Windlesham (contains also Bagshot, Lightwater and Valley End).
The former Frimley and Camberley Urban District covering the west of the borough is an unparished area, governed directly by Surrey Heath Borough Council.[24]
Within the borough there are five Sites of Special Scientific Interest, four of which are part of the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area of European Importance as a habitat for certain endangered bird species; these make up some of the six Wildlife Reserves managed by Surrey Wildlife Trust in Surrey Heath.
Elections
editSince the last boundary changes in 2019 the council has comprised 35 Councillors representing 14 wards, with each ward electing two or three Councillors. Elections are held every four years.[25]
Wider politics
editThe whole borough lies within the Surrey Heath constituency. The constituency is slightly larger than the borough, including the Normandy and Pirbright ward of Guildford Borough Council.[24]
In 2014, the British Election Study named Surrey Heath as the most right-wing constituency in the country.[26]
Notable people
edit- Simone Ashley, actress known for her role in Netflix series Bridgerton, was born in Camberley.[27]
- Steve Backshall, naturalist and television presenter, best known for the BBC wildlife documentary series, Deadly..., was born in Bagshot.
- Carl Fletcher, football player and Plymouth Argyle F.C and Wales national football team captain, was born in Camberley.
- Alan "Howling Laud" Hope, leader of the Official Monster Raving Loony Party, was born in Mytchett.
- The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh live at Bagshot Park with their family.[28]
Twinning
editSurrey Heath is twinned with Sucy-en-Brie, France, and Bietigheim-Bissingen, Germany.[29]
References
edit- ^ a b UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Surrey Heath Local Authority (E07000214)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
- ^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 31 May 2023
- ^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1973/551, retrieved 31 May 2023
- ^ "District Councils and Boroughs". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 28 March 1974. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
- ^ Panons, Jacob (17 May 2024). "Council elects first ethnic minority mayor". BBC News. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ "Council minutes, 28 June 2023". Surrey Heath Borough Council. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
- ^ "Surrey Heath Borough Council's Interim Chief Executive announced | Surrey Heath Borough Council". Surrey Heath Borough Council. 16 May 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
- ^ "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 31 May 2023
- ^ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
- ^ "Council minutes". Surrey Heath Borough Council. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
- ^ "Leader of Surrey Heath Borough Council to step down". Life Camberley. 30 January 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
- ^ Curley, Rebecca (31 January 2020). "Newly elected leader of Surrey Heath says residents 'deserve openness'". Surrey Live. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
- ^ Boyd, Alex (20 January 2020). "Surrey Heath Borough Council leader and deputy leader resign without explanation". Surrey Live. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
- ^ "Your councillors by political grouping". Surrey Heath Borough Council. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
- ^ "Surrey Heath". Local Councils. Thorncliffe. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ "Duke opens Surrey Heath HQ". Farnborough Mail. 21 July 1987. p. 7. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
- ^ Parker, Graham (9 November 2018). "Surrey Heath stands by £110m purchase of Camberley centre". Property Week. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
- ^ Caulfield, Chris (3 April 2023). "Surrey Heath council's investment portfolio drops by £79m after House of Fraser exit". Surrey Live. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
- ^ Jubert, Jamie (2 August 2019). "Council's chief's pay packet sky rockets 30%". Surrey Live. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
- ^ "Independent investigation finds additional payments to chief executive "not lawfully made"". Local Government Lawyer. 21 April 2020. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
- ^ Private Eye, Issue 1522, 22 May 2020, page 20
- ^ "Soilscapes soil types viewer – National Soil Resources Institute. Cranfield University". landis.org.uk.
- ^ Surrey Council Archived 26 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
- ^ "The Surrey Heath (Electoral Changes) Order 2017", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2017/1268, retrieved 18 July 2023
- ^ Wheeler, Brian (1 December 2014). "Strange reasons why people vote". BBC.
- ^ McCormack, Kirsty (25 March 2022). "Bridgerton season 2: Who is Kate Sharma actress Simone Ashley in Netflix series?". mirror. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
- ^ Ward, Victoria (13 September 2022). "Sophie, Countess of Wessex to gain new title if Edward becomes Duke of Edinburgh". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
- ^ "About Surrey Heath".