A parish council for Cobham could be on the cards.

Gerry Acher, chairman of the Cobham Conservation and Heritage Trust, warned this week he would consider it as a last resort if communication from Elmbridge Council and Surrey County Council did not improve.

The parish council would be subservient to both councils and would be given very few powers, despite being a legal body with elected councillors.

But it would have a budget from taxes to fix footpaths, parks and allotments.

Nearby Claygate, the only place in Elmbridge to have a parish council, charges its residents a total of £48,000 a year on top of their normal council tax, but has agreed its sixth successive freeze on rates.

But in Byfleet about 800 people voted before Christmas to abolish their parish council after, it did nothing for six years.