Yvonne Arnaud
His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh attended the Yvonne Arnaud, Guildford, in September to celebrate 60 years of theatre. (Image: Craig Fuller Photography) (Craig Fuller Photography)

Dame Sarah Mullally of Woking has become 106th Archbishop of Canterbury
Dame Sarah Mullally, who grew up in Woking, became the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury. (Image courtesy of Lambeth Palace) (Lambeth Palace)

Woking MP Will Forster and leader of the council Cllr Ann-Marie Barker attended the ball, alongside other local councillors
Woking MP Will Forster and leader of the council Cllr Ann-Marie Barker were among the guests as York Road Project celebrated 30 years of helping the homeless (York Road Project)

Dancers kick off the Mid-Autumn Festival at St John the Baptist School, delighting nearly 200 guests
Dancers helped the Chinese Association of Woking celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival at St John the Baptist School in October, delighting nearly 200 guests (Chinese Association of Woking)

Surrey County Council's plans for two unitary councils.
Surrey County Council’s plan for two unitary councils has been confirmed by Government (SCC)

Museum of Broken Dreams
After months of uncertainty, Elaine McGinty, founder of the Phoenix Cultural Centre, could celebrate its future being secured until the end of its lease in July 2026. Image (c) Alex Brenner (Alex Brenner)

Woking Remembrance parade
The Royal Naval Association leads the Remembrance parade into Jubilee Square. Image: Anthony Gurr/Woking Borough Council (Anthony Gurr)

Woking Car Show 2025
The Dark Knight arrived in style at this year’s bigger and better than ever Woking Car Show. (Image: Anthony Gurr/Woking Borough Council) (Anthony Gurr/WBC)

We begin the final instalment of our review of 2025 with a report which would have been one of the most haunting stories of any year.

A damning review found that authorities missed repeated opportunities to protect 10-year-old Sara Sharif, who was murdered by her father and stepmother.

The Local Child Safeguarding Practice Review concluded that professionals overlooked the seriousness of her father’s long history of domestic abuse and failed to follow basic safeguarding procedures.

Sara’s father, Urfan Sharif, stepmother Beinash Batool and uncle Faisal Malik were convicted in December 2024 for their roles in her abuse and death.

Sharif and Batool were found guilty of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. Malik was convicted of causing or allowing the death of a child and jailed for 16 years.

Among its findings, the 62-page report noted that Surrey’s elective home education team had attempted to carry out a home visit on 7 August 2023 but went to the wrong address.

“On returning to the office the mistake was recognised, and a further visit was not programmed to take place until September,” the review says. “Sara was found deceased on 10 August 2023.”

Sara was found dead in the family home in Horsell, having suffered more than 70 external injuries including burns, fractures and bruising.

Woking MP Will Forster urged the Government and Surrey County Council to act immediately on the report’s findings.

Woking was also in national news with a more positive story.

Dame Sarah Mullally, who grew up in Woking, was appointed the next Archbishop of Canterbury – the first woman to hold the role. She attended Winston Churchill School and Woking College.

Woking also learnt that it will become one of two unitary authorities in Surrey - with a £500million debt write-off to help facilitate the local government reorganisation projected for 2027.

Surrey County Council, together with its 11 boroughs and districts, will be dissolved and merged into East Surrey Council and West Surrey Council. Woking joins Waverley, Guildford, Surrey Heath, Runnymede and Spelthorne in the west.