Fears are mounting that local government reorganisation could sideline local voices. Cllr Phoebe Sullivan, Waverley Borough Councillor for Witley & Milford and a Thursley Parish Councillor, explains why protecting community input must remain central to decision-making in West Surrey.

In May, voters across Surrey will take part in an important moment for our county. With Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) underway and the prospect of a new West Surrey unitary authority on the horizon, we are not simply electing councillors. We are helping to shape what local government will look like for a generation.

That is why it matters that young professionals step forward.

I am standing in Western Villages, Tam in Farnham, and Toby in Haslemere. All of us are local and committed to contributing. We run businesses and work across the private and public sectors, and we believe local government works best when it reflects the full breadth of the communities it serves.

This is not about pushing anyone aside. Surrey benefits enormously from the experience, judgement and civic commitment of those who have served our communities for many years. My mentors, along with some of our most dedicated volunteers, parish councillors and community leaders, give their time generously after long and successful careers. We want to continue to champion their work for the next generation.

Local councils today oversee issues that affect people at every stage of life: housing affordability, transport connectivity, support for small businesses, digital infrastructure, climate resilience, and social care. Young professionals often sit at the sharp end of these debates, navigating rising housing costs, commuting pressures, and the challenge of starting families while building careers. We see how planning policy shapes whether young families can stay in the towns where they grew up. We see how decisions on broadband or workspace affect start-ups and sole traders.

Toby is standing because: “I have seen first-hand how local government can support business growth and create opportunities for young people. After seven years building my own business and creating jobs for graduates, I want to help more local entrepreneurs do the same in our towns and villages.”

Tam said: “I left Weydon School less than a decade ago, and the pace of change since then has been relentless. We cannot afford to wait. My priority is ensuring young people have the support, facilities and infrastructure they need to thrive.”

As Surrey moves towards a new structure, the stakes are even higher. LGR is not an abstract administrative exercise. It will determine how services are delivered, how decisions are scrutinised, and how local voices are heard.

Equally important is the signal it sends. When younger residents see people closer to their own age standing for election, it reinforces the idea that local politics is not something that happens to them but something they can shape. Engagement breeds engagement.

The point isn’t to replace experience with youth, nor to romanticise either. It is to bring different perspectives together around a shared commitment to place. West Surrey deserves councillors who understand its heritage and its future, who value continuity but are comfortable with innovation.