The 2021 Surrey County Council election took place on 6 May 2021, alongside other English and Welsh local elections. Councillors were elected for all 81 single-member electoral divisions of Surrey County Council for a four-year term. The electoral system used was first-past-the-post voting.

The result was that Conservative councillors formed a significantly decreased majority on the council, losing a net 14 seats. Although they retained a very secure majority of 13 seats over and above all other Parties (47 seats to 34 seats), this was nevertheless the worst result for the Conservatives since 1993.

The Liberal Democrats gained five seats overall, making them the largest party on the council after the Conservatives, but an informal alliance of Independent and Residents‘ Parties and councillors became the largest opposition group on the council with 16 councillors in total, a net increase of seven.

The Labour Party and the Green Party of England and Wales both doubled their representation, going from one to two councillors each.

In all, sixteen divisions changed hands at the election, with the Conservatives gaining 1 seat and losing 15 seats compared to the previous SCC election of 2017.

The 2021 election was the last election for Surrey County Council before the council's abolition on 1 April 2027.

The 2025 election cycle for Surrey County Council was cancelled owing to the proposal to replace the Council (and the eleven borough and district councils across Surrey) with a unitary model of local government for the county.

Summary

Election result

By successor council The 2021 election was the final election to Surrey County Council as a whole prior to its dissolution into East Surrey and West Surrey for the 2026 election. The results for the boroughs which would become East Surrey and West Surrey respectively were as follows:

+East SurreyPartySeatsVotes%Conservative 22 67,756 42.2Residents of Epsom and Ewell 4 9,919 6.2Liberal Democrats 3 37,823 23.6Residents 3 7,429 6.6Green 2 12,109 7.5Independent 2 7,808 4.9Labour 0 17,160 10.7Reform UK 0 340 0.2UKIP 0 215 0.1Workers Party 0 17 0.01Total36160,576

+West SurreyPartySeatsNet gain/lossVotes%+- (%)Conservative 25 12 77,184 42.2 -8.7Liberal Democrats 11 6 47,059 25.7 +2.6Farnham Residents 3 1 6,548 3.6 +0.6Labour 2 1 21,859 11.9 +1.0Independent 2 2 10,020 5.5 +2.9R4GV 2 2 7,931 4.3 N/AGreen 0 N/A 8,012 4.4 +0.8GGG 0 N/A 1,540 0.8 +0.6Residents 0 N/A 1,027 0.6 +0.1Heritage 0 N/A 541 0.3 N/AUKIP 0 N/A 441 0.2 -5.2Reform UK 0 N/A 291 0.2 N/ATUSC 0 N/A 255 0.1 +0.1Peace Party 0 N/A 140 0.1 +0.1Workers Party 0 N/A 86 0.1 N/ATotal45182,934

Results by division Incumbent councillors are denoted by *

Elmbridge

+Elmbridge district summaryPartySeats+/-Votes%+/-Conservative 7 19,229 46.0 –9.6Residents 2 4,666 11.2 –2.1Liberal Democrats 0 12,944 31.0 +8.9Labour 0 3,566 8.5 +4.1Green 0 769 1.8 –0.3Independent 0 348 0.8 N/AReform UK 0 259 0.6 N/ATotal941,781

Division results

Mike Bennison was previously elected as a Conservative.

UKIP stood in 2017. Labour and Reform UK did not stand in 2017.

Epsom and Ewell

+Epsom & Ewell district summaryPartySeats+/-Votes%+/-Residents 4 1 9,919 44.8 –1.4Conservative 1 1 5,074 22.9 –4.1Labour 0 3,061 13.8 +2.6Liberal Democrats 0 3,015 13.6 +1.0Green 0 1,048 4.7 +1.8Workers Party 0 17 0.1 N/ATotal522,134

Division results

Guildford

+Guildford district summaryPartySeats+/-Votes%+/-Liberal Democrats 5 2 10,920 26.8 –5.5Conservative 3 4 15,212 37.3 –12.1R4GV 2 2 7,931 19.4 N/ALabour 0 4,188 10.3 +0.1GGG 0 1,540 3.8 +2.7Green 0 862 2.1 –3.0Peace 0 140 0.3 +0.1Total1040,793

Division results

Mole Valley

+Mole Valley district summaryPartySeats+/-Votes%+/-Conservative 3 11,840 39.1 –2.5Liberal Democrats 2 11,538 38.1 +0.6Independent 1 2,908 9.6 +0.1Green 0 2,394 7.9 +3.8Labour 0 1,529 5.0 +1.5Reform UK 0 81 0.3 N/ATotal630,290

Division results

Reigate and Banstead

+Reigate & Banstead district summaryPartySeats+/-Votes%+/-Conservative 7 1 19,289 48.6 –1.5Green 2 1 7,055 17.8 +5.9Residents 1 2,763 7.0 ±0.0Labour 0 6,404 16.1 +5.4Liberal Democrats 0 4,107 10.3 –3.1UKIP 0 110 0.3 –6.5Total1039,728

Division results

Runnymede

+Runnymede district summaryPartySeats+/-Votes%+/-Conservative 5 1 10,212 49.2 –6.9Labour 1 1 4,056 19.6 +4.8Liberal Democrats 0 2,756 13.3 +2.0Independent 0 1,783 8.6 N/AResidents 0 1,027 5.0 +0.6Green 0 824 4.0 –0.5TUSC 0 78 0.4 N/ATotal620,736

Division results

Spelthorne

+Spelthorne district summaryPartySeats+/-Votes%+/-Conservative 5 1 11,440 43.2 –4.2Labour 1 4,649 17.5 +0.7Independent 1 1 3,045 11.5 +7.4Liberal Democrats 0 4,272 16.1 –0.1Green 0 2,837 10.7 +7.3TUSC 0 120 0.5 +0.3Total726,510

Division results

Surrey Heath

+Surrey Heath district summaryPartySeats+/-Votes%+/-Conservative 6 12,039 49.0 –9.6Liberal Democrats 0 7,881 32.1 +16.3Labour 0 2,166 8.8 –0.1Independent 0 1,690 6.9 –1.7Green 0 386 1.6 –3.0Reform UK 0 211 0.9 N/AUKIP 0 102 0.4 –2.9Workers Party 0 86 0.3 N/ATUSC 0 20 0.1 N/ATotal624,581

Division results

Tandridge

+Tandridge district summaryPartySeats+/-Votes%+/-Conservative 4 12,324 46.3 –5.4Liberal Democrats 1 1 6,219 23.3 –4.5Independent 1 1 4,552 17.1 N/ALabour 0 2,600 9.8 +1.7Green 0 843 3.2 +1.7UKIP 0 105 0.4 –10.4Total626,643

Division results

Waverley

+Waverley district summaryPartySeats+/-Votes%+/-Liberal Democrats 4 3 12,079 30.2 +5.7Farnham Residents 3 1 6,548 16.4 +2.2Conservative 2 4 15,717 39.2 –10.2Labour 0 3,284 8.2 +3.9Green 0 1,709 4.3 +0.2Independent 0 492 1.2 +0.8UKIP 0 136 0.3 –2.8Reform UK 0 80 0.2 N/ATotal940,045

Division results

Woking

+Woking district summaryPartySeats+/-Votes%+/-Conservative 4 2 12,564 41.3 –7.0Liberal Democrats 2 1 9,151 30.1 +1.0Independent 1 1 3,010 9.9 +5.5Labour 0 3,516 11.6 –1.8Green 0 1,394 4.6 N/AHeritage 0 541 1.8 N/AUKIP 0 203 0.7 –4.1TUSC 0 37 0.1 N/ATotal730,416

Division results

Changes 2021–2027

In November 2022, Andy Lynch, who had been elected as a Conservative, had the Conservative whip withdrawn and sat as an independent. In July 2025, Lynch left the Conservatives and joined Reform UK.

By-elections

Sunbury Common and Ashford Common

The by-election was triggered by the death of Conservative councillor Alison Todd, who had been elected under her former name, Alison Griffiths.

Walton South and Oatlands

The by-election followed the resignation of Conservative councillor Tony Samuels.

Horsleys

The by-election followed the resignation of Residents for Guildford and Villages councillor Colin Cross.

Nork and Tattenhams

The by-election followed the decision of Nork and Tattenhams Residents' Associations councillor Nick Harrison to stand down.

Woking South

The by-election followed the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Will Forster, who had been elected as the Member of Parliament for Woking at the 2024 United Kingdom general election.

Addlestone

The by-election was triggered by the death of Conservative councillor John Furey.

Hinchley Wood, Claygate & Oxshott

The by-election was triggered by the death of Conservative councillor Mark Sugden.

Camberley West

The by-election was triggered by the death of Conservative councillor David Lewis.

Caterham Valley

The by-election followed the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Jeffrey Gray.

Guildford South East

The by-election followed the resignation of Residents for Guildford and Villages councillor Fiona Davidson for personal reasons.

Warlingham

The by-election followed the resignation of Conservative councillor Becky Rush.

Haslemere

The by-election was triggered by the death of Liberal Democrat councillor John Robini.

References