On Thursday 7 May 2026, local elections across Surrey are taking place. This will be the first election for the new West Surrey Council.
On Thursday 7 May 2026, local elections across Surrey are taking place. This will be the first election for the new West Surrey Council. This council will be responsible for the following functions:
- Transport and local infrastructure (e.g., commissioning local bus routes and timetables)
- Skills and employment support (e.g., influence over local internships and placement opportunities)
- Housing and strategic planning (e.g., ensuring the availability of affordable housing)
- Economic Development and regeneration (e.g., stimulating the local economy so that there are more part-time job opportunities)
- Environment and Climate Change (e.g., sustainable energy generation)
- Health, Wellbeing and Public Service Reform (e.g., funding mental health support)
- Public Safety (e.g., ensuring the local area is safe at night)
If these sound like issues that will impact you, you should vote in the upcoming election!
What’s different?
Local government is transitioning to a “unitary” model. This means that borough and county councils across the UK, which are part of the current “two-tiered” local government system, are being phased out and replaced by a single level of local government. For students living in Egham and Englefield Green, your current local council is Runnymede which will be incorporated as part of the new West Surrey Council. For a more detailed explanation of the national changes, check out this page by Centre for Governance and Security: English Devolution White Paper Explainer - CfGS. To find out more about local changes, check out this page by Future Surrey: Future Surrey – Surrey LGR Hub.
Check this link to see which new ward your address falls under and to see who your local candidates are: Who you can vote for – Surrey LGR Hub. You’ll be able to vote for two candidates; you can choose to vote for two candidates from the same political party or split your vote between two parties.
Where & How to Vote:
The deadline to register to vote in the upcoming elections was Monday, 20 April. If you didn’t register to vote this time around, make sure to register for the next elections! Students can register to vote at both their term-time address and their non term-time address, and you can legally vote in local elections in both locations. It is very quick and simple to register – it takes less than 5 minutes! Here’s the link: Register to vote - GOV.UK. Alternatively, you can register for a postal vote, which will allow you to cast you vote in advance and via post. Here’s the link: Apply for a postal vote - GOV.UK
If you have registered to vote at your term-time address, keep eye on your post! Your poll card will be arriving soon. This will tell you which polling station you need to go to in order to cast your vote. If your polling card hasn’t arrived yet, you can also check your polling station here: Find your polling station | Where Do I Vote?
Polling stations in the local area include:
- Forest Estate Community Hub, 57 Larchwood Drive TW20 0SL
- The Jurgens Centre, 91 Harvest Road TW20 0QR
- Students’ Union Royal Holloway, Egham Hill TW20 0EX
- Egham Youth and Community Centre, 185 High Street Egham TW20 9DY
In order to vote, you’ll need to take your polling card and a form of valid photo ID with you. Accepted forms of ID include a UK Driving License, a UK Passport, or a PASS-accredited card – Student IDs are not accepted. Check the full list of accepted ID here: Accepted forms of photo ID | Electoral Commission