Independents Form Political Group in New Council

Published on: 14 May, 2026
Updated on: 15 May, 2026

By Martin Giles

The five Independent and Resident Group councillors elected last week have formed a political group and nominated a leader and deputy.

They will sit on the new West Surrey Shadow Council which will take full and sole authority next April. Until then, the council will shadow the existing county, borough and district councils which will wind up.

The five Independents are:

Catherine Young, Guildford Borough Councillor since 2019. Originally Guildford Greenbelt Group. Switched to Residents for Guildford & Villages in 2023.

Catherine Powell, Farnham Residents Group, elected to Farnham North. 2021 elected to SCC Chairs the Children and Families Select Committee.

Sally Dickson, Farnham Residents Group, elected to Farnham North. Has been on Farnham Town Council since 2019.

Iabelle Mullens, Runnymede Independent Residents Group, elected to Egham Ward. Runnymede Borough Cllr since 2019.

Joanna Sexton, Independent, elected to Ashford Ward. Councillor at Spelthorne since 2011. She is the Leader of Spelthorne Council, and as such has been a member of the West Surrey Joint Voluntary Committee.

Catherine Young said: “We have formed the West Surrey Independents’ Group.

“We are a very experienced and strong team and we will keep our own party identities for the foreseeable future, ie I remain a R4GV councillor. Catherine Powell is our leader and I have been selected as deputy leader.”

There are seven Independent councillors in the SCC divisions now covered by West Surrey and two councillors were elected for each of the same areas, now designated as West Surrey County wards, so if the level of representation was to be maintained, 14 Independents would have needed to have been elected. The five that were represents a reduction in their share of power but does equate roughly to the 6.2 per cent share of their popular vote.

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