Some of the biggest figures in Surrey politics are not standing in next month’s once-in-a-generation elections.

This year will see the creation of two new councils - East and West Surrey - replacing the county and the existing 11 boroughs and districts.

It is a seismic shift for how services will be delivered, and it will begin without some of the people who have shaped Surrey’s story.

Among the political big beasts not standing are the leaders of Surrey County Council, Tim Oliver, Mole Valley District Council’s Bridget Kendrick, Elmbridge Borough Council’s Mike Rollings, Reigate and Banstead Borough Council’s Richard Biggs, and Tandridge District Council’s Catherine Sayer.

The co-leader of Runnymede Borough Council, Robert King, has also confirmed he is not standing.

Other political heavyweights who will be missing from the new local governments include Rebecca Pau, now MP for Reigate, and the former Runnymede and Spelthorne borough chiefs Tom Gracey and Lawrence Nicols.

Guildford’s former co-leader Joss Bigmore is another moving on to new things.

All are expected to remain in post for the legacy council’s final year and to be part of the transition.

Councillor Richard Biggs, leader of Reigate and Banstead Borough Council said: “The current situation is interesting as the council will continue to be one of the sovereign authorities until vesting day on April 1 2027.

“Although I chose not to stand for the new unitary authority, I will continue to do everything I can until my time as a councillor ends on March 31 next year.”

He added: “The original reasons for progressing reorganisation were to enable the appointment of a Strategic Mayoral Authority across Surrey.

“Devolution would unlock additional funding which could benefit everyone in the county.

“Disappointingly this appears to have been put on hold, although the unitary authorities will be able to continue to explore the possibility of a Foundation Strategic Authority which may be the stepping stone to a mayor.

“My hope is that if and when Mayors are established that they will collaborate across the southeast to make sure the benefits of places like Gatwick to our economic prosperity are fully explored and utilised.

“It is an honour and a privilege to serve as a councillor for Horley, and as leader of Reigate and Banstead and I am sure I will miss it.

“I want to acknowledge the hard work of all the officers and their dedication to provide the best for our communities across the area.

“Despite growing pressures with funding over many years, we have continued to provide excellent quality services, for example our neighbourhood services team and our community teams who are on the front line have done an amazing job that I hope will continue under the new authority.

“My executive team has done an amazing job to collaborate with officers and to deliver some great projects over the last few years.

“We have built social housing, we have provided a balanced budget, we have not cut services.

“Whilst the freezing of our council tax will have a limited effect overall due to the borough council’s element of council tax being the smallest part of the overall bill, it shows that it can be done.

“We have had an up-to-date local plan to help with planning decisions.

“None of these are easy but the pressure from Government and the insistence of unrealistic housing targets make a local plan even more important to try to protect our open spaces whilst providing much needed homes.

“We have worked with the government to purchase emergency and temporary accommodation properties to help deal with the high numbers of people struggling with housing.

“I am proud of what we have delivered and what we have set in motion to be delivered.

“Better green spaces, high quality leisure facilities, high levels of recycling. We have been able to get the works commenced to bring our theatre back which has been a big challenge.

“As we move into the unitary authority many of those elected will experience Local Government for the first time.

“Decisions that can be made quickly within a corporate commercial environment cannot be made as easily when it is public money that is being spent.

“There are more checks and balances which, as we have seen in other parts of Surrey, have become even more important over the last few years.

“This inevitably leads to a longer, and sometimes frustrating, process to get things delivered.”

He added: “I will continue to do everything I can to work with the new leadership of East Surrey Council to ensure a smooth transition until I hang up my lanyard and stand back from the position that I have had the privilege and honour to hold.”

The most common reason given by those standing down has been the shift in how the new councils will run.

The majority of meetings are expected to be held during the day, as is the case at Surrey County Council.

There will also be a significant reduction in the number of councillors – down from an average of four, to just two spread over a wider distance.

This will increase councillor casework. When added to the challenges of combining a full-time job many decided it was time to move on.

Leader of Mole Valley Borough Council, Cllr Bridget Kendrick said: “Being a councillor has been, and is, a privilege.

“I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to help so many residents with case work as well as work across the District to ensure financial resilience in what has been volatile times.

“Delivering a transformation savings plan while maintaining services, investing in Leatherhead Leisure Centre, being the number one rated council in England for homelessness prevention during 2025, chairing the joint committee will remain as some of the achievements I am proud of.

“I look forward to supporting new elected councillors in their shadow year and ensuring East Surrey is set up for success.

“There is still a lot to do between now and vesting day, and I look forward to the work ahead.

Co-leader of Runnymede Borough Council, Cllr Robert King, said: “I’ve been the Labour and Co-operative councillor for Egham Hythe ward since 2019 and co-leader of Runnymede Borough Council since 2024.

“When elected to Surrey County Council in 2021, I became the first non-Conservative to hold Egham division, and later the first Labour council leader in Surrey’s history. ”

He said he was most proud of driving Runnymede to become one of the first councils in the country to put infrastructure cash directly into an NHS hospital, St Peter’s Hospital, including the cardiac and neonatal units.

Other highlights included improvements for health services in Egham Hythe and working to deliver the community health hub.

He added: “Fixing roads and delivering safer streets throughout my division, pulling investment into local schools and nurseries, and hauling Runnymede back from the edge of financial collapse, with debt down by tens of millions and real support back in the hands of residents who needed it.

“From helping coordinate the Covid vaccination response to playing my part in a group that built a food distribution network from scratch in a fortnight, the role took me places I never expected.

“Having lived in Egham for nearly a decade and a half, it has been the privilege of a lifetime to serve the people of Egham and Pooley Green, and I’m glad I had the opportunity to keep the promises I made to residents, with many who have now become good friends.”