A final decision on the new unitary structures for Surrey has been delayed, council chiefs have been told. The plans for the shape of local government were due to be revealed on Wednesday 15 October.

According to The Municipal Journal and other news outlets, the decision is now not expected to be made until the end of October at the earliest.

The delay – which was confirmed in a Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government letter to council chiefs – is set to make the already challenging timetable for implementation even more difficult to achieve.

Surrey County Council (SCC) leader Tim Oliver told Local Government Chronicle that he is “not aware there is anything sinister about the delay; just administrative pressures”.

Surrey currently has 12 councils. SCC, Mole Valley and Elmbridge councils want to reorganise into two new councils – East Surrey and West Surrey – while the remainder of the district and borough councils favour a three-council structure.

In addition to the decision on how Surrey will simplify its councils, the announcement at the end of October is also expected to reveal the level of debt support the Government intends to provide for Woking in 2026-27.

Councils across the county have combined debts of £5.6bn.