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If you’ve found this guide and you’re not already a regular reader… where have you been?!

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Here it is — everything we’ve been chatting about over the past few weeks on the local elections, all pulled together in one handy place.

If you’ve missed a week (or three… no judgement), this should help you catch up quickly. From what’s actually changing with East Surrey, to who’s standing, and how it all works when you get to the ballot box — it’s all here.

You can dip in and out, come back to it as election day gets closer, or use it to remind yourself who’s who when you’re stood there with the ballot paper in hand.

Or, of course, save it for a bit of light bedtime reading… whatever works.

If your social media has suddenly turned into a stream of campaign posts, bold promises and slightly awkward candidate photos… and you’ve started clocking people walking down your street clutching leaflets while you quietly consider hiding behind the front door… you’re not alone.

It’s that time again — election season is warming up, and it can all feel a bit much.

But never fear… The Molesey Nugget is here.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be gently drip-feeding the actually useful stuff — what the elections mean locally, who’s standing in our area, and where you can find clear, simple info without having to wade through the noise.

I’ll also be keeping a page updated so you can easily click through to your local candidates and see what they’re about.

Important bit: The Nugget will stay completely impartial — no telling you who to vote for, no pushing agendas.
(Also, for the record, the Nugget cannot vote. It is, after all, just a nugget.)

And with over 80% of readers being women, it does feel worth a gentle mention…

Women fought hard for the right to vote — and not just somewhere far away. Right here in Molesey, suffragettes are believed to have set fire to part of Hurst Park Racecourse as part of their campaign.

So yes… no pressure. But also… maybe don’t ignore this one completely.

Think of this as your calm, local guide through the chaos.

You might have seen a few mentions of “devolution”, “East Surrey”, and just quietly wondered… what on earth is going on? Here’s the simple version, no jargon, I promise.

At the moment, East and West Molesey sit under Elmbridge Borough Council (bins, planning, local bits) and Surrey County Council (roads, schools, bigger stuff). That split is exactly why reporting a pothole can feel like a game of pass-the-parcel. 👉 The plan now is to scrap that two-tier system and bring everything under one roof.

Instead of Elmbridge, East and West Molesey will become part of a new larger authority: 👉 East Surrey. This new council will take over everything — so there’s just one place to go, instead of guessing who does what.

Molesey itself is also being split slightly for voting purposes: West Molesey → its own ward, and East Molesey + Thames Ditton → grouped together. So when you vote, you’ll be voting within either West Molesey Ward or Thames Ditton & East Molesey Ward. You will also get two votes, as each ward will have two elected councillors👉 Not sure which one you’re in? It’ll say clearly on your poll card.

In short: everything. Instead of services being split, one council will now handle bins & recycling, planning, roads & potholes, schools, social care, libraries and housing. 👉 So hopefully… no more “that’s not us, try the other council.”

The idea is to make things simpler, cut duplication and costs, and make it clearer who’s responsible for what. Whether it feels simpler in practice… we’ll soon find out.

If you want to vote on 7th May, you need to be registered. 👉 Monday 20 April 2026 is the deadline to register, and 👉 Tuesday 21 April 2026 is the deadline to apply for a postal vote. If you’ve already got your poll card — you’re sorted, or you can 🌐 Register to vote - GOV.UK here.

Next week: Who you’re actually voting for — all 22 local candidates, made simple. I wonder if any bribes will start arriving at my door… I’d love a new Porsche, just in case anyone’s listening.

Last week we looked at what’s changing. This week, the next obvious question:

Who are all these people on the ballot paper?

Across Molesey, there are 22 local candidates standing in total — split across the two wards:

👉 You’ll get TWO votes — as each ward will elect two councillors. ❎❎

Conservative Party: Charlotte Keywood & Redmond Walsh • More info
Green Party: James Price & Leah Thomas • More info
Labour Party: Richard Quentin Lewis & Harry McKay • More info
Liberal Democrats: Sue Fergy & Vicky Zadeh • More info
Reform UK: Colin Greff & Paul Simmons • More info
Thames Ditton Residents' Association: Sam Brierley • More info
Molesey Residents' Association: Kevin Whincup • More info

Conservative Party: Steve Bax • More info & Sunny Cadman • More info
Green Party: Andrew Dillon & Joel Ashley Prujean-Skupski • More info
Labour Party: Susan Dennis • More info
Liberal Democrats: James Kemp More info & Philip Smith-Stevenson • More info
Reform UK: Stephen Bown & Larisa Marcu • More info
Molesey Residents' Association: Ernest Mallett • More info

What I’ve noticed, by putting this together, is that it’s not always that easy to find information about local candidates online.

📮 A lot of it still comes the old-fashioned way — through your letterbox… and often straight into the recycling not long after.

So it’s worth keeping hold of anything that comes through the door over the next couple of weeks, and using that alongside the links above to get a fuller picture.

🌐 Some of the online pages (particularly local party ones) haven’t been updated for a while, so it’s worth bearing that in mind when you’re deciding who to vote for and how much effort is being made to communicate with local residents.

🗳️ It’s also worth knowing that whoever you vote for won’t just be in place for a short stint.

The councillors elected this May will first spend about a year helping set up the new East Surrey council, before it officially takes over in 2027. After that, they’ll continue on as your local representatives for the full council term — likely around four years.

So while this might feel like a bit of a “transition” election, these are the people who could be representing the area for the next few years.

👋 And don’t be surprised if a few candidates knock on your door between now and election day — it’s one of the best chances to ask questions if you get the opportunity.

We’ve covered what’s changing and who’s standing… so now for the final piece: 👉 how to actually vote on the day. Don’t worry — it’s all very straightforward.

On Thursday 7th May, head to your local polling station (it’ll be on your poll card). You’ll be given a ballot paper with a list of candidates for your ward.
👉 You’ll get TWO votes — as each ward elects two councillors.
Then simply: take your paper into the booth, put a cross (✖️) next to your chosen candidates, fold it up and pop it in the box. Done.

You’ll need to bring photo ID (passport or driving licence).
👉 No ID = no vote.

If you’ve applied for a postal vote, your ballot will arrive at home. Fill it in, sign the form, and send it back.
👉 Don’t leave it sitting on the side next to the takeaway menus.

This is where someone else votes on your behalf — useful if you’re away or can’t get to a polling station.
👉 You do need to arrange this in advance.

Try not to spend 10 minutes in the booth Googling candidates, don’t let your toddler “help” with the crosses, and yes… you do have to choose real people, not just the nicest sounding name.

It’s quick, it’s easy, and it’s one of those things that’s worth doing. Even if you’ve only skimmed this guide over the past few weeks, you’ll now know more than most people walking into that polling station.

It’s become a bit of a tradition to take your dog along and post a photo outside. No, they don’t get a vote (yet), but they do get a lot of attention online.
👉 So if you’ve got a photogenic pup… you know what to do. #dogsatpollingstations