Following local government reorganisation, Zöe Franklin pushes for Guildford’s centuries old county town status to be reconfirmed.

Guildford’s Liberal Democrat MP Zöe Franklin is lobbying the new West Surrey Council leader for Guildford to retain its longstanding county town status as the new authority is formed in April next year.

The new Council, under its newly elected leader, Cllr Paul Follows, will take over the responsibility and budgets for all local government services currently divided between the six borough and district councils in the west of Surrey and Surrey County Council.

Zöe Franklin said:

“This is an exciting opportunity to strengthen representation and accountability and make sure the new authority best serves its 663,000 residents.

“I want to see Guildford retain its historic county town status as this major shift in local government takes place in Surrey.

"Guildford was granted status as the county town of Surrey by a Royal Charter issued by Henry III in 1257.

"Our Castle was the only royal castle ever built in Surrey. The iconic cobbled high street dates back to Saxon times, and today is a community hub for markets and independent shops alongside big names on the high street.

“I am hugely proud of The University and the Research Park, which together are a powerhouse taking our historic market town to a global hub for science, technology and learning. Guildford is also known as the “Hollywood” of the computer games industry.

"Publicly restating Guildford’s role as the county town in this new local government model is a fitting way to formally recognise its status as the cultural, economic and strategic heart of West Surrey.”

Ends

Guildford MP Zöe Franklin has called on Prime Minister Andy Burnham to make reforming the water industry one of his first priorities in office, after new analysis revealed the extent of sewage pollution affecting local waterways.

The figures show that Thames Water discharged sewage into waterways across the Guildford constituency for 857 hours last year across 83 separate spills, raising fresh concerns about the state of local rivers and the performance of water companies. And at a time when the company is reporting post-tax profit of £113m for the 12 months to the end of March (compare with a £1.51bn post-tax loss the previous year) having hiked water bills by 40%.

For many residents, the River Wey is at the heart of the local community. It should be a clean and thriving waterway enjoyed by walkers, rowers, kayakers, paddleboarders and wildlife alike. Instead, repeated sewage discharges have left many residents frustrated and concerned about the impact on the environment and public health.

Following years of environmental failures, rising bills and financial mismanagement within the water industry, the Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to replace the current privatised model with customer-owned mutual companies that operate in the interests of customers and the environment rather than shareholders.

The Liberal Democrats are urging the Prime Minister to:

• Put water companies into special administration immediately, permanently restructuring the company as a mutual run for the benefit of its customers.
• Transition all existing water companies into public-benefit mutuals, owned by the people rather than the state, ensuring they are run for public health and the environment instead of private profit.
• Abolish the toothless regulator Ofwat and replace it with a powerful new Clean Water Authority with statutory powers to enforce strict environmental standards and crack down on repeat offenders in Guildford and across the country.
• End the Great Sewage Cover-Up by forcing water companies to report the volume, not just the duration, of sewage spills.
• Implement an immediate, legally binding ban on all water company executive bonuses, free from loopholes.
• Ensure full accountability by recusing Number 10 advisor James Purnell from any involvement in decisions regarding Thames Water, given his previous work for a firm advising private utilities and major investors.

Zöe Franklin, Liberal Democrat MP for Guildford, said:

"People across Guildford are rightly furious that sewage continues to be pumped into our local waterways while Thames Water's finances remain in disarray and customers face ever-higher bills.

“The River Wey should be one of our area's greatest assets. It ought to be a place where residents can enjoy being on the water and where wildlife can thrive. Instead, repeated sewage spills are damaging the environment and undermining public confidence in the system.

“It is an insult to local residents that water companies have been allowed to get away with this for so long while executives and investors have continued to benefit.

“Andy Burnham has a clear choice: stand up for communities like ours and deliver the fundamental reform the water industry desperately needs, or allow the same broken system to continue.

“We need a clean break from the failed privatisation model. Water companies should be run in the interests of customers and the environment, not shareholders, and communities like Guildford deserve nothing less.”

The Post Office has now confirmed that the Burpham branch is scheduled to close on 22 August 2026 following Morrisons’ decision to close the store that it is located within.  

As soon as I was alerted to the possibility of the closure, I contacted Morrisons to ask them for their reasons for closing and to understand the considerations it had taken into account when making its decision, including the impact on local residents and the knock-on effect on the Post Office service. 

Whilst the closure is going ahead, the Post Office have confirmed that they are actively seeking a long-term replacement for the service in Burpham. Applications are now open for individuals or businesses interested in operating a Post Office branch in the area. Residents who may be interested, or who know of a suitable local business, can find further information through the Burpham Post Office branch advert – Run a Post Office. 

Burpham Post Office branch advert - Run a Post Office 

The Post Office have also launched a consultation setting out details of the closure and outlining alternative branches available nearby. Information will also be displayed in the branch. 

Please see below for more information about the consultation.

I understand that this news will be disappointing for many residents, particularly those who rely on local Post Office services and may face challenges travelling further afield. Access to these services is especially important for older and more vulnerable members of our community. 

I will continue to engage with both Morrisons and the Post Office and will support all efforts to ensure that Burpham retains the much-needed community Post Office counter service that local residents depend on. 

On Friday, I hosted a constituency business briefing at The Lighthouse in Guildford, bringing together business leaders from across the area for a working breakfast.
The session provided an opportunity to update attendees on my work locally and to share my priorities for supporting businesses across the constituency and listen to their experiences of the current business environment. It was also a valuable chance for local leaders from a wide range of sectors to connect, exchange ideas and build relationships.

I am grateful to everyone who took the time to attend and contribute to a constructive and insightful discussion about how we can best support our local economy. 
 

I've called on the Government to scrap the unfair jobs tax, as former Health Secretary, Alan Milburn’s review into youth unemployment – published last week – shows over a million young people are not in education, employment or training (NEET). That's one in 8 young people – and rising.

This is appalling, but sadly the Milburn Review only confirms what we already knew - far too many young people are seeing their hopes and ambitions ripped away just as they enter adult life.

Here in Guildford constituency, the latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures have revealed a 12% rise in 18–24-year-olds claiming unemployment related benefits between April 2025 and April 2026.

I’ve consistently opposed the rise in Employer National Insurance Contributions (the "jobs tax”), and business rates hikes that we Lib Dems knew would hit opportunities for young people, especially on the high street where many get their first start.  

We repeatedly voted against the changes and will continue pushing the Government to urgently act to repair the mess they have made and get our economy growing, so our young people can build a future they can believe in.