What is happening with local elections in Surrey?
BBCAs voters in many parts of England prepare to head to the polls, BBC Surrey political reporter Jack Fiehn asks what lies ahead for Surrey, which is one of nine areas to postpone council elections for a year.
In a week's time, many people across England will cast a vote in their local council elections.
They will not be taking place across most of Surrey because of a significant reorganisation of local government.
However, there are two by-elections on 1 May in the borough of Reigate & Banstead and the district of Tandridge.
The Local Government Information Unit (LGIU) think tank has carried out research on attitudes to local elections and the role of local government.
Chief executive Jonathan Carr-West told BBC Radio Surrey it suggested the public were "pretty relaxed" about the elections not happening.
"When we asked people about the postponement of elections in places like Surrey, there was very little active opposition to that," he said.
Why are so few seats up for election?
The government has said that in in nine areas elections will be delayed for a year.
This is to allow for major changes to be made to the current "two tier" system of local authorities, with Surrey County Council and 11 borough and district, plus larger county councils, running different services.
The delay is controversial. Opposition parties are against it and say it is as an "attack on local democracy" and that residents are being "denied" their voice.
The deputy prime minister, Angela Rayner, has said that holding elections for local authorities that will eventually be scrapped would be "an expensive and irresponsible waste of taxpayers' money".
Where are elections happening?
One of the by-elections is for a Surrey County Council seat in the Nork and Tattenhams division.
Six candidates from the Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats, Reform, the Green Party and the Nork & Tattenhams Residents` Associations are standing.
The result will not make a difference to which party is in control at the county council.
There is also a by-election to be a district councillor in Tandridge in the Oxted South ward.
Four candidates from the Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats and the Oxted & Limpsfield Residents Group are standing.
What will Surrey look like after the changes?
Surrey Leaders GroupIt is not clear yet what will happen.
The borough and district and county councils will be scrapped and replaced with unitary authorities, which will run day-to-day services.
There will also eventually be a strategic authority overseen by an elected mayor, who will make decisions on the economy, transport and infrastructure.
There is a disagreement over how many how many unitary authorities there should be.
Surrey County Council has put forward plans for two, while the majority of the borough and district councils believe there should be three.
What happens next and when will there be elections?
Interim plans on how local government should be reorganised were submitted to the government in March and a final proposal is due on 9 May.
A decision on what will happen is expected to be announced by ministers in the autumn.
New "shadow" unitary councils will be created and there will be elections for those in May 2026.
These shadow authorities would have a year or more to become operational.
It is thought that a mayoral election is most likely to happen in 2027.
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