Overview
Local government reorganisation presents an opportunity to strengthen our links with residents by boosting our local community engagement.
In a letter to councils in June Minister for Local Government Jim McMahon, emphasised the importance of localism and community participation, through accountable systems like Neighbourhood Area Committees (NAC). These were previously being referred to as Community Boards – but we will now be adopting the same government name of Neighbourhood Area Committees.
Frequently asked questions
Neighbourhood Area Committees will aim to bring people together and create real opportunities for local collaboration and insight gathering in towns and villages. The purpose and focus of the NACs is to:
- Understand key local issues
- Agree priorities and champion collaborative action
- Promote preventative activity
- Support thriving communities
- Act as advisory bodies (not constituted)
- Supported by a range of engagement tools
We’ll be starting with a pilot phase in three local areas starting in the summer, reviewing progress and learnings by end of 2025 with a vision to further rollout across Surrey. There are also ongoing discussions with other local areas who may be ready in the autumn to join as a ‘fast follower’ pilot area.
The initial three pilot areas will be:
- Esher and Cobham (Elmbridge)
- Dorking and villages (Mole Valley)
- Caterham, Warlingham and North Tandridge (Tandridge)
The latest Boundary Commission electoral divisions were used as the building blocks for each area. Boundaries adjusted to create manageable number of potential NAC areas across new unitaries including taking into account: Total number of committees; Average population per area (c.50,000), while accommodating Surrey’s urban-rural diversity; Mix of parished and unparished areas
Learnings and insights gathered from the initial three pilot areas, will be used to shape how Neighbourhood Area Committees will be rolled out further across the county in 2026. This pilot phase in three areas is a “Test, Learn and Grow” process which will inform the design of future community engagement structures under a unitary authority model. At this point we envisage learnings to be compiled by the end of 2025 and announcements about further rollout made in early 2026.
To ensure that these committees have a strong connection between residents, groups and public service organisations, we expect them to include representatives from:
- Health partners
- Surrey Police
- Education and business sector
- Large Voluntary Community Social Enterprise groups
- Local councillors
- Town and Parish Councillors
- Local residents and community groups
The NACs are not constituted so they do not have direct decision making powers. They will act as advisory bodies sharing local intelligence and insight with decision making organisations.
We are very much in the design phase of shaping the committees. Partners will be coming together in each of the pilot areas, to work together to establish:
- Agreed terms of reference
- Membership representation and chairs
- Action plans and priorities for their NAC
- Meetings and engagement cycle
- Outputs and mechanisms for feedback and resident engagement
Please bear with us we are very much in a development phase in shaping these Neighbourhood Area Committees – as things take shape we’ll let you know the progress and outcomes.
In the meantime if you have any further questions not answered by the above questions and answers you can email us at surreycommunities@surreycc.gov.uk titling your email “NAC further question”.
How you can get involved
We’ll be sharing more information on these pages as the pilot areas are shaped by the membership groups in each of the three pilot areas.
We want to hear from you too. We’ll be looking for ways for members of the public to have their say and feedback on how they can be involved in their local NAC. When that mechanism is in place we’ll let you know.
We’ll also be out and about in communities over the summer and autumn of 2025. Look out for the confirmed times, dates and places in our calendar of community events.