As Haslemere prepares to vote, the real issue is not what needs fixing — but why it hasn’t been already.

Residents will go to the polls on Thursday, May 7, to choose representatives for the first-ever West Surrey Council, a “shadow authority” that will take full control in April 2027 and replace the current two-tier system.

Voters will elect two councillors per ward. Around 90 councillors will cover the whole of West Surrey, a sharp reduction from the hundreds currently representing residents across county and district level. Supporters say it will streamline decision-making, while critics warn it risks weakening local representation.

This is not just another election. It is the blueprint for how local services will be run for years to come.

And yet the issues dominating debate are familiar.

Few roads have generated as much anger as Petworth Road. Once described by residents as “lethal”, it became a symbol of frustration over long-delayed improvements. While repairs have now taken place, the wider condition of surrounding roads has reignited concern — particularly after a difficult winter.

Andy Jones wrote to the Herald saying: “Like everybody else I am utterly sick and tired with the state of the roads around here.” It reflects wider frustration that too little is being done to tackle ongoing problems.

Development remains just as divisive. The proposed Scotland Park scheme has become one of Haslemere’s most contentious planning battles, splitting opinion between those who accept the need for housing and those concerned about scale, landscape impact, and pressure on roads, schools and health services.

There is also growing debate over the creation of West Surrey Council itself. Designed to simplify local government, it will concentrate power into a single large authority, raising questions about how local voices will be heard.

With fewer councillors covering larger areas, some fear towns like Haslemere could be overshadowed by bigger population centres. The phrase “mega-council” has already entered local conversation — not as a boast, but as a warning.

That concern has been sharpened by a new residents’ group, Haslemere Heads South, led by Doug Thow, which is calling for the town to leave Surrey and join West Sussex.

Mr Thow said the government’s Local Government Reorganisation consultation was “minimal” and “rushed”, leaving residents worried about what comes next. Under the plans, Surrey will be replaced in 2027 by two unitary authorities — East Surrey and West Surrey — with Haslemere placed in the latter.

He warned that Surrey’s debt levels risk leaving smaller communities “massively neglected” in a large authority stretching from Waverley to Spelthorne, adding: “We feel we would be better off in West Sussex, where services are already proven just metres across the boundary.”

The issues have been debated for years. Now voters must decide whether patience has finally run out.

But are these really the biggest priorities in Haslemere — or is something missing?

As residents head to the polls, what should new councillors fix first? Agree or disagree, or if you think something else matters more, email the Herald and tell us what should top the agenda in Haslemere.