Letter: The Government Has Created an Existential Debt Crisis in Surrey

Published on: 26 Apr, 2026
Updated on: 26 Apr, 2026

The debt is variously calculated to represent £15,000 to £19,000 for each household in West Surrey.

From Bernard Quoroll

In response to: Taxes Are Rarely Ring-Fenced

Yes, of course I had my tongue firmly in my cheek in my article: The Legacy Debt Should Be Borne By Those Who Created This Sorry Mess, but my purpose was only to point out that once the starting gun is fired on a local government reorganisation, local politicians need to constrain themselves from creating expensive legacies which others will have to pay.

This is not the same situation. It is much worse. In going down this road without a plan for fixing the debt, this government has created an existential financial crisis, which without a proper remedy, will haunt the new West Surrey Council and all its taxpayers for decades to come.

The fact that its origins lie in actions taken by a predecessor government, does not relieve the current one from responsibility for not making it worse. The fact that it was able to spirit up £500 million almost overnight, is disturbing enough in what it says about how national budgets are put together but if someone thinks this is going to close the door on future criticism they are mistaken. This problem will run and run. as will the debt.

Against that background, enjoining people to turn out and vote as if business is usual may be optimistic. Even lemmings occasionally baulk at a cliff when they understand how steep it is.

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