Cllr Eddy Humphreys was re-elected as Mayor of Reigate & Banstead for a second term at the Council's 50th anniversary Annual Council meeting held on 23 May 2024. Cllr Sue Sinden, who has represented Redhill East since 2019 and was most recently chair of the Licencing Committee, was elected Deputy Mayor. Throughout the year, Cllr Humphreys will continue to promote his Mayoralty theme of 'togetherness' and his two chosen charities for fundraising efforts are Renewed Hope, and Kingswood Shetlands and Friends (alongside their new charitable arm TRACKS through Pastures). Visit The Mayor's webpage for more information about the Mayor and Deputy Mayor and how to invite the Mayor to your event. 

With a general election announced for 4 July, here are some important deadlines to be aware of to make sure you are ready to vote on polling day. You need to be registered by midnight on the 18 June to be able to vote. Register at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote, if you’re not already registered. To vote by post, apply as soon as possible but by 5pm on the 19 June. For a proxy vote (someone to vote on your behalf) apply by 5pm on the 26 June. For the first time at a UK general election, those voting at a polling station will need to show photo ID. If you don’t have an accepted form of ID, apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate by 5pm on the 26 June. Apply at gov.uk/how-to-vote.

We believe it's important to pay tribute to those in our community who spend a lot of time making a difference to people’s lives through volunteering. The Reigate & Banstead Volunteer Awards is one way for us to show the many individuals and groups who volunteer locally that we recognise their great work and appreciate their sacrifice. Do you know someone who deserves recognition for their work as a volunteer? Nominate them in any of the five award categories before the deadline on Sunday 9 June. We’ll also be showcasing some of our volunteers on our social media during Volunteers’ Week, 3-9 June.

In case you missed it, you can find out which councillors were elected or re-elected to represent you on Reigate & Banstead Borough Council, on Thursday 2 May. In total, 69 candidates stood for election to the Council and 16 seats were up for election.The total number of verified ballot papers was 37,314 from an electorate of 108,692 eligible voters in the borough. Full results are available on ModGov. The election for Surrey's Police and Crime Commissioner was held on the same day and Lisa Townsend has been re-elected for the next four years.

We are very pleased to announce that our school holiday activities offering will be available again this summer. Details are still being finalised but we plan to run a similar programme to last year's with various fun and interesting activities for children aged six months to 15 years. If your little one is into gymnastics, trampolining, art, craft, multi-sports, outdoor adventure, music, drama and more, R&B Active is the place to be this summer! Bookings will open in June complete with provisions for SEND children. Remember, there is a 50% discount on all activities for looked after children, and those in receipt of benefits.

We're launching a call for sites to help meet Reigate & Banstead’s future housing and economic needs. This is an opportunity for anyone to suggest sites, which will then be assessed to make sure they are “suitable, available and achievable”, to create a potential land supply that could be used for new homes or economic development. The results will feed into the development of our new Local Plan. The call for sites will run until 23 August 2024. To suggest a site, use the online form on our website. 

Cllr Richard Biggs, Leader of the Council, will be available again for his monthly pre-booked appointments on Tuesday 18 June between 4 and 6pm. If you have a question or an idea that you would like to put to him, this is an opportunity to bring it to his attention. You have to be a resident or work in the borough to book an appointment. Appointments can be in-person or virtual. To book an appointment, please email: leadersurgery@reigate-banstead.gov.uk.

Congratulations to Roger Newstead and David Pay who have been made Honorary Aldermen for their outstanding service to the borough and its residents. David and Roger who also served three terms each as Mayor of the Borough of Reigate & Banstead, were honoured at an installation ceremony held at the Town Hall and attended by friends and family on Thursday 16 May.  

Work to upgrade Merstham Rec is now well underway and is due to complete by January 2025. Most of the construction will happen in the north of the park, while the southern area will remain available for use throughout the project. The refurbishment includes a new pavilion with a café kiosk, toilets and changing rooms, a play area with equipment for children of all ages and abilities and a parkour course for over 12s. There will be an outdoor gym, improved network of footpaths with better accessibility for wheelchairs and buggies, a picnic area and community orchard as well as new trees, landscaping and improved drainage.

Improvements to Horley’s Central car park are progressing well, with the excavation of new planting beds for trees and greenery - to be planted later in the year. The project will also deliver clearly marked pedestrian routes, larger parking bays for families and resurfacing of the access road. Alternative parking can be found at our High Street and Victoria Road car parks during the car park closure. To enable the safe resurfacing, Consort Way East and Diana Walk will be closed from 5-7 June, arranged in consultation with neighbouring businesses to minimise impact on trade.

Electric vehicle charging points will follow later in the summer.

Our community development workers are part of East Surrey Place’s Growing Health Together Initiative. They are supporting local GPs to engage with residents to develop projects that bring people together and create healthy places to live. From a community garden to a men’s shed, this film shows how these fantastic projects are having a positive impact on people’s physical and mental wellbeing and we look forward to doing more to address health inequalities by putting local people at the centre of what we do.

On 1 April 2024 Reigate & Banstead Borough Council turned 50. We share this milestone with many other borough councils also established under the Local Government Act of 1972, which brought major changes to the local government system and reduced the number of councils from 1,245 to 412. Reigate & Banstead Borough Council was created by combining the Borough of Reigate with Banstead Urban District. It also included Horley, Salfords and Sidlow, which were previously in Dorking and Horley Rural District. Our coat of arms, which is a combination of elements from those of the former councils, has inspired a special flag that has been raised at the town hall to commemorate the half century. We will be holding a series of special events throughout the year, including tree planting and a photography project – details coming soon!

Do you have a passion for serving your community? Are you committed to making a difference in people's lives? We are currently recruiting for, among others, a Personal Assistant to the Legal Governance Service, an ICT Service Desk Analyst, an Environmental Health Apprentice, and an Arboriculture Operations Specialist. We also have various casual jobs going so please take a look at our current vacancies and apply.

Grab a chair or blanket and prepare to be entertained this summer as Harlequin Outdoors returns for it 4th year. With a programme that includes Shakespeare classics Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night's Dream and As You Like It, there's something for all ages in the beautiful setting of Reigate Castle. Take a look at the full programme and book your tickets today!

The Reigate Summer Festival is a celebration of the town’s creativity, a weekend of free entertainment for the local community and beyond. The festival pulls together the town’s abundance of creative and cultural talent into one unmissable event in and around the town centre. There will be opportunities to explore the town, watch films, shop, dance, watch various performances and immerse yourself into the town's history. 

This year's Village Fair will take place this year on Saturday 6 July. The fun takes place in the Orchard at the centre of Banstead High Street from 10.30am. It's free to attend and live music will be provided by Gavin's Rock 'n' Roll Band playing sounds from the 60s and 70s and the Banstead Show Choir at noon. Around 30 local organisations will be participating on the day. Loads of stalls, sideshows and games have been planned along with a BBQ. Refreshments will be on offer at the Open Door Café. For enquiries email rogerdlp06@gmail.com.

Pub in the Park returns to Priory Park from 12 to 14 July. Tickets for the food and music festival are on sale now and the line up includes Sam Ryder, Melanie C, McFly, Gabrielle and Scouting for Girls. For foodies there will be a carefully curated selection of award-winning and Michelin-starred eateries to sample.

A new report published by the Surrey Environment Partnership (SEP) has revealed that Surrey residents are the joint 2nd best recyclers in England. In 2022-23, 54.0% of the waste they threw away was turned into something new, whether it was clothing, energy, fertiliser or new packaging. This sees the county way above the England average of just 41.7%. The report also shows Surrey residents are throwing away less rubbish and the proportion of waste that was sent to landfill dropped to 4.4% - a dramatic drop which means that 95.6% of Surrey’s waste was repurposed once collected. If it wasn’t recycled or landfilled, it was turned into energy (36.7% of waste).

The Mental Health Crisis Helpline offers friendly and confidential support if you or someone you know is experiencing emotional distress. It's open day and night and is free of charge. Call 0800 915 4644.

Visiting a farm is an enjoyable and educational experience for many people, particularly children, but farm animals can be the source of several bugs that can be passed from animals to humans and cause illness. Some can be particularly serious for children or pregnant women.The UK Health Security Agency has information on how to stay safe from infections carried by animals when visiting a farm.