Woking Borough Council is part of the two-tier structure of local government in Surrey.
In Surrey, the functions of local government are divided between Surrey County Council and 11 district and borough councils.
The county council is responsible for more strategic functions and larger services such as education and social services, whilst the district councils are responsible for more local services such as planning, development control and housing. Although Woking has been granted 'Borough' status by charter, in terms of structure and functions it is a district council.
The following table shows some of the main powers and responsibilities of Surrey County Council and Woking Borough Council:
| Surrey County Council | Woking Borough Council |
|---|---|
| Collection of Council Tax and business rates | |
| Birth, marriage and death registrations | Environmental health |
| Education | Public and private housing |
| Fire and rescue | Local plans |
| Highways | Planning applications |
| Libraries | Public toilets |
| Recreation, arts and museums | Arts and museums |
| Social care | Sports and sports centres |
| Strategic planning | Parks and open spaces |
| Trading standards | Car parks and parking |
| Transport | Footpaths |
| Waste disposal | Waste collection and recycling |
| Street cleaning |