Chris Caulfield

Bin crews in Waverley, Surrey, will continue collecting waste earlier than usual during high temperatures to avoid the hottest part of the day. Residents have been asked to leave bins out overnight or by 06:00 BST, while Waverley Borough Council and contractor Biffa work to protect crews and prevent service disruption.

Spelthorne councillors are seeking to rename the future West Surrey Council as West Surrey and South Middlesex Council before it begins operating in April 2027. Supporters say the change would recognize Spelthorne’s historical and continuing links to Middlesex, while opposition leader Jane Austin calls the proposed name cumbersome and warns it could create division. The new Liberal Democrat-led authority will combine six councils and inherit about £4.5 billion in debt; after its creation, changing the name would require a two-thirds majority.

A survey of Woking Borough Council’s housing stock found 329 of 2,488 inspected homes—13%—failed the decent homes standard, while 446 difficult-to-access properties remain unassessed. Deficiencies included health and safety, heating and temperature, and ageing kitchens and bathrooms. Council officers said the results were unsurprising because fire-safety work, including cladding replacement at the Lakeview Estate, had diverted investment elsewhere, but they believed repairs were affordable. The findings were discussed in the context of Awaab’s Law, introduced after the 2020 mould-related death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak.

The Harlequin Theatre in Redhill, Surrey, has been closed since September 2023 after unsafe reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete was discovered. Reigate and Banstead Borough Council expects construction to begin in November 2026 and last 12 to 15 months, meaning the theatre may not reopen until 2028. Council leader Richard Biggs attributed the delay to additional design work and said the priority was to ensure the building provides decades of service, while campaigners expressed frustration over the slow progress.

A government-appointed team will oversee the finances of Woking and Spelthorne councils amid concerns their debt and property portfolios could burden the new West Surrey Council when it forms in 2027. Commissioners will advise and scrutinise financial strategy and governance but will not initially hold executive powers. Woking has already received £500m in government support and continues to sell assets to reduce its multibillion‑pound debt, while Spelthorne faces ongoing challenges around sustainability and its commercial portfolio. The oversight aims to prevent unresolved issues from transferring into the new unified authority.