Crawley councillors asked for their views on whether town should become part of unitary authority with Reigate & Banstead

A full council meeting has been arranged for Wednesday May 7 and will be followed immediately by a cabinet meeting, where a decision will be taken about whether to submit such a proposal to the government.

The deadline for the submission is Friday May 9. After that, it will be down to the government to decide which route to take – whether Crawley becomes part of a West Sussex unitary authority or teams up with Surrey.

Around 350 people have signed a petition opposing the idea.

Started by Claire Apostolides, the petition details how Crawley has been ‘intricately woven into the fabric of West Sussex’, and raises concerns about the borough becoming little more than ‘a strategic economic asset due to Gatwick Airport’.

Calling on the government to allow residents to vote on such a significant change, the petition adds: “The government’s decision to suspend democratic processes and decide on Crawley’s future without consulting its people is deeply undemocratic.

“The very essence of democracy is allowing the people a say in their future. We must have the opportunity to cast our vote and express our voice on whether we want to remain aligned with West Sussex or face realignment to Surrey.”

The full council meeting will be held at the Town Hall, in The Boulevard, from 7.30pm, with the cabinet meeting following at 8.30pm. Members of the public are welcome to attend.