Despite not being in Labour’s manifesto at last year’s general election, the Labour Government is forcing all two-tier Council areas, like our own, to merge into Unitary Authorities.  The Government’s own White Paper published just before Christmas says the new Unitary Authorities should be within existing County boundaries.

On that basis, the seven District and Borough Councils within West Sussex and the County Council have been working constructively together to progress this.  However, at the same time, the Labour leadership of Crawley Borough Council have been wooing Reigate and Banstead in Surrey, pushing to become part of a new Unitary Authority in Surrey, effectively moving Crawley out of our historic County of West Sussex.

This terrible idea is a very poor fit for Crawley and proving unpopular with Crawley residents, but the Labour leadership at Crawley Borough Council keep pursuing it.  They are seeking to give Crawley a border with London which has population pressures to expand its boundaries, and whose Mayor would love to have ‘London’ Gatwick Airport and its business rates under his jurisdiction.  It’s obvious what their long-term plan is.    

At short notice, Labour have called a Full Council meeting to take place on Wednesday 7 May at 7.30pm at Crawley Town Hall, to get Councillors to vote for Crawley to be included in Surrey’s Unitary Authority submission to the Government that they have to submit by 9 May.

This can be stopped on 7 May if a majority of Crawley Borough Council’s 36 Councillors (25 Labour and 11 Conservative) vote against the proposal.  If Crawley stops this proposal now, the Government will not recreate it themselves, but failing to stop it now means it will be taken out of Crawley’s hands and left entirely to the Government to decide.

There is a local petition that residents can sign which can easily be found on Facebook, including pinned on my own page.  I also encourage emailing all your ward Councillors, asking if they will commit to voting against the Surrey proposal. It’s only pressure from constituents that can stop Labour Councillors trying to bounce Crawley into Surrey.


Councillor Duncan Crow, Leader of Crawley Borough Council Conservative Group

30th April 2025