Photo: Des Blenkinsopp · CC BY-SA 2.0No party holds a majority on Waverley Borough Council
Farnham is run by Waverley Borough Council and Surrey County Council, with Farnham parish council for local matters. No party holds a majority on Waverley Borough Council. The Conservatives have a majority on Surrey County Council. Its MP is Gregory Stafford (Conservative), member for Farnham and Bordon.
£2,603
Band D, a year, the middle band every council sets its tax from.
Where it goes →How Farnham’s politics has changed since 2021
No majority on Waverley Borough Council
The Liberal Democrats, the largest group, hold 23 of its 50 seats as elected, 3 short of the 26 needed. Farnham Residents holds 13, the Conservatives 10, independents 2, the Greens 1 and Labour 1. Who’s in charge ↓
Surrey in 2021
Surrey County Council, which runs schools, social care and roads, has a Conservative majority at the May 2021 election: the Conservatives won 41 of 81 seats. Surrey ↓
Council tax
A Band D bill in Farnham is £2,603 for 2026–27; Waverley Borough Council keeps 8% of it. The council area’s Band D has risen 53% in ten years, against England’s 56%. Council money ↓
Written from the data on this page: Democracy Club results since May 2021, the UK Parliament Members API and MHCLG council tax.
Who holds the seats on Farnham’s councils
Seats by party as elected. A party needs 26 of Waverley’s 50 or 41 of Surrey’s 81 seats to run the council alone.
- Liberal Democrat23
- Farnham Residents13
- Conservative10
- Independent2
- Green1
- Labour1
Latest election: May 2023.
- Conservative41
- Liberal Democrat19
- Residents Associations of Epsom and Ewell4
- Farnham Residents3
- Independent3
- Green2
- Labour2
- Reform UK2
- Ashtead Independents1
- Nork & Tattenhams Residents' Associations1
- Residents for Guildford and Villages1
- Thames Ditton / Weston Green Residents' Association1
- The Molesey Residents Association1
Latest election: May 2021.
Seats are counted from election results: each ward’s most recent winners until its seats are filled. Councillors who have since changed party or resigned aren’t reflected, and which parties lead the council, and who is leader, comes from the council itself.
Results: Democracy Club (CC BY 4.0), elections since May 2021; seats per ward from its EveryElection.
Two tiers of council, and a parish tier
Farnham has two tiers of council: the county runs the big services, the district the local ones.
Local matters: allotments, play areas, halls, footpaths and benches; it is consulted on planning and adds a precept to the council tax bill. A town council is a parish council by another name.
100% of Farnham’s residents · Band D precept £92
Bins and recycling, planning, housing, environmental health, leisure, and collecting council tax.
Website ↗Schools, social care, roads and transport, libraries and waste disposal.
Website ↗Who to ask
From GOV.UK’s “Understand how your council works”: in two-tier areas the district or borough runs local services and the county the big ones.
Councils from ONS lookups (wards and councils May 2026, parishes 2025), names and websites from GOV.UK’s local council finder; parish councils from MHCLG’s 2026–27 list of precepting parishes.
From the parish to Westminster
Every elected tier that speaks for Farnham, from the most recent elections.
- 1Town or parishParish tierFarnham parish council
- 2Waverley Borough Council5 wards · 10 councillorsFarnham Residents 9 · Liberal Democrat 1 · Conservative 1 · all 11
- 3Surrey County Council3 divisions · 3 councillorsMichaela MartinAndy MacleodCatherine Powell
- 4Police and crime commissionerSurrey Police · elected May 2024Lisa Townsend
- 5House of CommonsFarnham and Bordon
Party colours are neutral on purpose: they tell parties apart and aren’t the parties’ own. Tap an MP’s name for their contact page on parliament.uk.
10 councillors for 5 wards
Wards with at least 2% of the town’s residents, or half their own inside it. Each shows who won its most recent elections, newest first, until its seats are filled.
- Alan EarwakerFarnham Residents · April 2024 · by-election
- Heather McCleanFarnham Residents · May 2023
- George HesseFarnham Residents · May 2023
- Kika MiryleesFarnham Residents · May 2023
- Jerry HymanFarnham Residents · May 2023
- Carole CockburnConservative · May 2023
- George MurrayFarnham Residents · May 2023
- Andy MacleodFarnham Residents · May 2023
- Mark Ian MerryweatherLiberal Democrat · May 2023
- David BeamanFarnham Residents · May 2023
- Graham John WhiteFarnham Residents · May 2023
Show as a table, with Surrey County Council’s 3 divisions (3 councillors)
| Ward | Seats | Elected | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Farnham Castlemostly in Farnham · 5,351 residents2 seats · April 2024, May 2023 | 2 | Alan Earwakerby-electionHeather McCleanGeorge Hesse | April 2024, May 2023 |
| Farnham Firgrovemostly in Farnham · 5,316 residents2 seats · May 2023 | 2 | Kika MiryleesJerry Hyman | May 2023 |
| Farnham Bournemostly in Farnham · 4,870 residents2 seats · May 2023 | 2 | Carole CockburnGeorge Murray | May 2023 |
| Farnham Moor Parkmostly in Farnham · 2,814 residents2 seats · May 2023 | 2 | Andy MacleodMark Ian Merryweather | May 2023 |
| Farnham North Westmostly in Farnham · 2,148 residents2 seats · May 2023 | 2 | David BeamanGraham John White | May 2023 |
Surrey County Council: county divisions
| Division | Seats | Elected | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Farnham South EDmostly in Farnham · 10,186 residents1 seat · May 2021 | 1 | Michaela Martin | May 2021 |
| Farnham Central EDmostly in Farnham · 5,351 residents1 seat · May 2021 | 1 | Andy Macleod | May 2021 |
| Farnham North ED26% in Farnham · 4,962 residents1 seat · May 2021 | 1 | Catherine Powell | May 2021 |
Councillors can resign, change party or sit as independents between elections; a by-election winner replaces someone not named here. Waverley Borough Council’s website lists who sits now.
Results from Democracy Club’s candidates database (CC BY 4.0; elections since May 2021) and ward seats from its EveryElection, matched to ONS wards (May 2026) and county divisions (May 2025).
Waverley council election, May 2023
Results in the wards that make up Farnham, as declared. Percentages are of votes cast for candidates in each ward; where a ward elects several councillors, each voter has that many votes.
5 wards voted. Every seat in the town’s wards was up.
No election is scheduled yet for Farnham’s wards in Democracy Club’s list. Councils publish a notice of election about five weeks before polling day.
Who can I vote for? ↗1,985 votes for candidates · 2 seats, so 2 votes each
2,598 votes for candidates · 2 seats, so 2 votes each
2,901 votes for candidates · 2 seats, so 2 votes each
Every ward’s result (2 more)
2,347 votes for candidates · 2 seats, so 2 votes each
1,863 votes for candidates · 2 seats, so 2 votes each
Candidates and results: Democracy Club (CC BY 4.0), from councils’ declared results; polling dates from Democracy Club’s EveryElection.
Farnham is in Farnham and Bordon constituency
The constituency’s MP and the 4 July 2024 general election, the whole constituency’s result (it reaches beyond Farnham).
53,015 votes for candidates · majority 1,349
Conservative, MP since 4 July 2024.
turnout in July 2024: 53,015 votes from 75,920 registered voters. England: 60%.
Majority 1,349 of 53,015 votes (2.5%): the 49th-narrowest of 543 in England.
MPs and results: UK Parliament Members API (Open Parliament Licence v3.0); constituencies from ONS (2024 boundaries). Percentages are of valid votes; turnout is votes cast over the electorate.
Farnham’s Band D council tax is £2,603 a year
Where a Band D bill goes, what it has cost over the years, and what the councils plan to spend per resident.
Waverley Borough Council keeps £220.25 of a Band D bill (8%); the rest goes to the Farnham parish council, Surrey County Council and the Surrey police and crime commissioner.
Band D since 1993
Waverley’s Band D bill has risen 53% in ten years, from £1,706.87 in 2016–17, against England’s average (56%). It was £537.75 in 1993–94.
Your bill by band
A Band D home in Farnham, 2026–27, before discounts. The Valuation Office Agency’s band search gives any home’s band.
Surrey’s councils
Average Band D in each council area, 2026–27, parish precepts included. Bars start at £2,300.
Council budgets per resident, 2026–27
Show as a table, with Surrey
| Waverley + Surrey | Farnham’s councils | Surrey | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult social care | £467 | £471 | £487 |
| Children’s social care | £216 | £217 | £290 |
| Roads and transport | £50 | £69 | £41 |
| Housing (not council homes’ rents) | £-47 | £30 | £61 |
| Bins, street cleaning, environment | £137 | £128 | £119 |
| Libraries, leisure, culture | £26 | £33 | £44 |
| Planning and development | £51 | £32 | £26 |
| Public health | £42 | £43 | £78 |
| Running the council | £61 | £79 | £59 |
| Other | £8 | £-2 | £19 |
| Total, schools apart | £1,050 | £1,139 | £1,234 |
Net budgeted service spending, MHCLG Revenue Account budget 2026–27, per resident (ONS mid-2025 estimates). Both tiers added: Waverley per its residents plus Surrey per the county’s. Schools are left out: academies are paid for directly by government, so council school budgets depend on how many schools have converted. Surrey and England: all their councils together. Police, fire and transport authorities aren’t included.
Band D: MHCLG Band D council tax 2026–27 (each authority’s own figure, excluding parish precepts) and Council Tax statistics for town and parish councils 2026–27; since 1993–94, MHCLG’s area averages including parishes.
Having a say in how Farnham is run
It takes about five minutes online; the deadline is 12 working days before a poll.
gov.uk ↗Type a postcode to write to each of its councillors and its MP.
WriteToThem ↗GOV.UK sends the report to the council that looks after the road.
gov.uk ↗Council and committee meetings are open to the public, with agendas and minutes online.
waverley.gov.uk ↗Anyone can comment while an application is open for consultation.
waverley.gov.uk ↗The rules, nomination papers and guidance for council candidates.
Electoral Commission ↗Questions about how Farnham is run
Which council runs Farnham?
Farnham is run by Waverley Borough Council and Surrey County Council. The county council runs schools, social care and roads; the district runs bins, planning and housing.
Does Farnham have a town council?
Yes: Farnham has its own parish-tier council (Farnham parish council; town councils are parish councils by another name), which adds £92 to a Band D bill in 2026–27.
Who is the MP for Farnham?
Gregory Stafford (Conservative) is the MP for Farnham and Bordon, which covers Farnham.
How many councillors does Farnham have?
10 ward councillors represent Farnham’s 5 wards, and 3 county councillors its county divisions.
When are the next elections in Farnham?
No election is scheduled yet in Democracy Club’s list for Farnham’s wards. The next UK general election must be held by August 2029.
How much is council tax in Farnham?
Band D council tax in Farnham is £2,603 for 2026–27. Your bill depends on your home’s band, from A (6/9 of Band D) to H (18/9).
Who controls Waverley Borough Council?
No party has a majority. As elected, Liberal Democrat 23 · Farnham Residents 13 · Conservative 10 · Independent 2 · Green 1 · Labour 1 of 50 seats; a majority needs 26. The council’s website lists who leads it now.
Who controls Surrey County Council?
The Conservatives have a majority: 41 of 81 seats as elected.
Who won the 2023 council election in Farnham?
In Farnham’s wards on 4 May 2023, Farnham Residents 8 · Liberal Democrat 1 · Conservative 1 of the 10 seats up. Farnham Residents had the largest share of votes, 54.3%.
Sources: ONS ward, county division, parish, constituency lookups (Census 2021 output areas; Open Government Licence v3.0) · GOV.UK local council finder · Democracy Club candidates (CC BY 4.0) and EveryElection · UK Parliament Members API (Open Parliament Licence v3.0) · MHCLG Band D council tax, parish precepts and Revenue Account budgets 2026–27 (OGL v3.0) · ONS mid-2025 population estimates. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.