Today is the day. Voters across Surrey and Hampshire will head to the polls to choose who runs their councils.

But in Surrey, this is no ordinary election. Voters will not just be choosing councillors, they will be helping to build an entirely new system of local government. It is a once in 50 years reset.

The situation is different in Hampshire, but still significant. Voters there are electing county councillors this year even though the current system is due to be scrapped and replaced by new unitary councils in 2028.

In Surrey, residents will not be voting for county or borough councillors as before. Instead, they will elect politicians to two brand new councils, East Surrey and West Surrey, which will take over everything from bins to schools and key local services.

This will be a local election like no other. It is a rare moment where voters get to shape not just who runs the council, but how the entire system works for years to come.

If you have ever complained about bins, potholes or planning decisions, this is one of the most important chances you will get to influence how those issues are handled locally in future.

Surrey’s council system is being scrapped and rebuilt. From April 2027, Surrey County Council and all 11 borough and district councils will disappear.

In their place will be two new unitary authorities: East Surrey Council and West Surrey Council.

These new councils will handle all local services that are currently split between different layers of government, including education, road maintenance, bin collections, housing and social care.

Where you live will decide which new council you vote for. Waverley will be part of West Surrey, alongside Guildford, Runnymede, Spelthorne, Surrey Heath and Woking.

The key difference is this: the people elected in May will not just run the council, they will help build it from the ground up. Councillors will serve until 2031, but will first act as a “shadow authority” for nearly a year.

During that time, they will set budgets and council tax for 2027–28, design how the new councils are structured, sort out staffing and leadership, set governance rules and oversee the handover from the existing councils.

From April 2027, they will take full control of all services.

There are also practical differences on the ballot paper. West Surrey Council will have 90 councillors across 45 wards, while East Surrey Council will have 72 councillors across 36 wards.

Each ward elects two councillors, and voters can choose up to two candidates. The two with the most votes win, using a straightforward first past the post system.

Another key change is that voters will not be choosing their usual councils in 2026. County, borough and district councillors will remain in post until March 2027.

For voters in Hampshire County Council, the system is more familiar. The authority has 78 seats, each representing a single electoral division.

Voters choose one candidate in their area, and the candidate with the most votes wins.

See page 31 for more on the West Surrey elections.