Reform UK’s priorities for West Surrey include calling on the Government to write off £3.5 billion of inherited debt, as well as cutting council waste and improving services.

This week, the party announced its full roster of candidates for elections to the new authority, with candidates standing in all 45 wards across West Surrey.

A spokesperson said its “extremely diverse membership locally” had enabled it to field candidates “with some incredible professional experience and all types of different backgrounds”.

The party said its first aim was to get the Government to write off £3.5 billion of debt the new authority will inherit from previous administrations.

A spokesperson said: “If this cannot be achieved, West Surrey will be effectively bankrupt on day one and potentially be put into special measures.”

The party added that “the interest payments alone will cost a substantial amount of council taxpayers’ money”, leaving “a much reduced pot to spend on vital services for our communities”.

It said it would “look critically at all elements of council expenditure to root out waste and inefficiencies” and ensure taxpayers are getting “the best value for their hard-earned money”.

Reform UK also said it would examine services and “continually improve delivery to residents with new key performance indicators every year, agreed by departments and monitored quarterly by the council”.

On the proposed new authority, the party said: “The new council will be a behemoth of an organisation – six boroughs and part of the county brought together by central government with very little thought or planning, almost doomed to failure at inception.”

It added the scale of the challenge was “enormous” and said “the legacy parties have left a financial shambles behind them”.

“If elected, Reform UK councillors will bring new experience to the table and help make this transition produce the best possible outcome for our residents,” the party said.

“It will be a tough job, but we are ready for it.”

The West Surrey election takes place on Thursday, May 7. Photo ID is required to vote.

For a full list of candidates in the Waverley area, visit here.