Runnymede Borough Council is the local authority for the Borough of Runnymede, a non-metropolitan district in Surrey, England. County-level services are provided by Surrey County Council. There are no civil parishes in the borough, which is an unparished area. The council has been under no overall control since 2023, being run since 2024 by a coalition of Labour, Liberal Democrat, Green, Residents Group, and Independent councillors.
Runnymede Borough Council, along with all Surrey district councils and Surrey County Council will be abolished in 2027 as part of ongoing local government restructuring, with the area of Runnymedge to become part of West Surrey, administered by West Surrey Council.
Political control The council has been under no overall control since 2023. Following the 2024 election an Alliance of Labour, Liberal Democrats, Greens and independent councillors formed to run the council.
The first elections to the council were held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new arrangements came into effect on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows: (Put "Runnymede" in search box to see specific results.) Party in control Years 1974–1996 1996–1998 1998–2023 2023–present
Leadership The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Runnymede. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader or co-leaders of the council. The leaders (or co-leaders) since 1984 have been:
Councillor Party From To Notes Denis Clarke 1984 1986 Michael Wheaton 1986 1991 Howard Langley 1991 14 May 1997 Chris Norman 14 May 1997 2000 Geoffrey Woodger 2000 15 May 2003 Roger Habgood 15 May 2003 May 2005 Geoffrey Woodger May 2005 May 2006 John Furey 2006 2011 Patrick Roberts 2011 May 2016 Peter Waddell 18 May 2016 May 2017 Nick Prescot 17 May 2017 May 2022 Tom Gracey 18 May 2022 May 2024 Steve Ringham 15 May 2024 20 May 2026 Co-leaders Robert King Don Whyte Linda Gillham
Composition Following the 2024 election, and subsequent changes of allegiance, the composition of the council is:
Party Seats 12 8 7 5 4 3 2Total41 Of the independent councillors, two (both representing Ottershaw ward) form the "Independent Group", which informally supported the Conservative minority administration between 2023 and 2024. Two (both representing Englefield Green East) form part of the majority administration group.
Elections
Since the last boundary changes in 2019 the council has comprised 41 councillors representing 14 wards with each ward electing three councillors except Englefield Green East which elects two. Elections were held three years out of every four, with roughly a third of the council elected each time for a four-year term of office. Surrey County Council elections were held in the fourth year of the cycle when there were no borough council elections.
Further borough council elections were cancelled in 2026, and an election for the new West Surrey Council was held instead. West Surrey Council will formally come into being and take over local government functions in the area on 1 April 2027, at which point Runnymede Borough Council and the borough of Runnymede will be abolished.
Premises The council is based at Runnymede Civic Centre on Station Road in Addlestone. The new building cost a reported £12.6m and opened in May 2008. The council's former offices were on the adjoining site and were subsequently demolished to make way for a retail development.
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