A planning application for a new crematorium and memorial garden in Woodhatch has been submitted by Reigate & Banstead Borough Council to provide a more local service for bereaved families.The Council is making the application because Reigate & Banstead residents who wish their loved ones to be cremated must journey to a facility out of the borough, usually as far as Leatherhead, Crawley or Croydon. Feedback from local funeral directors also suggests that bereaved families can experience longer than average wait times for convenient service times.

The Council's environmental health team has been visiting all the supermarkets in the borough to make sure they have the appropriate COVID-secure measures in place for customers to do their essential shopping safely. They were pleased to report they found generally good standards all round. You can help keep everyone safe by shopping alone where possible, wearing a face covering, washing your hands more often and keeping your distance down the aisles and at the checkouts.

A Horley property company has been fined over £16,000 for failing to comply with Houses of Multiple Occupancy (HMO) legislation aimed at protecting tenants. The Council successfully took action against a private property management company for breaching the fire safety and overcrowding terms of its HMO licence for a two-storey property in Redhill. 

Our green spaces are important for everyone's health and wellbeing and continue to be busy. Please exercise in them responsibly, don't leave any litter and explore routes near to your home. The borough's skateparks, tennis courts, outdoor gyms, and multi-use games areas are closed in line with Government guidance. Please do not use them or let your children use them. If you are the parent of a teenager who is heading out to do their exercise, please let them know that these areas are closed. 

There is a variety of help, advice and support available locally for people experiencing challenges due to the ongoing pandemic. You can search our website and online directory to find out what's available from the Council, as well as through local voluntary and community organisations and businesses across the borough. 

The next opportunity to meet virtually with Cllr Mark Brunt to discuss local matters important to you is Tuesday 16 February. Appointments are offered to people who live or work in the borough. They can be via video conference or phone, and will be allocated on a first come first serve basis. 

Surrey County Council wants to assure all residents that there is support and help available should you be struggling.

As the infection rate was rising rapidly across Surrey at the beginning of the year, Surrey’s Local Resilience Forum put additional measures in-place to support hospitals, social care, and other front-line services.

The Level Up project aims to provide 500 refurbished laptops to Reigate & Banstead pupils who need them for home study. With 350 laptops pledged to date, they need only 150 more to reach their goal. Laptops donated by the community are refurbished by volunteers and distributed to children and young people via local schools and charities. It is a partnership project that is being delivered by Raven Housing Trust with support from Voluntary Action Reigate & Banstead and Level Up Horley.

The census is coming on Sunday 21 March. It’s a unique survey that happens every 10 years, providing a snapshot of all the people and households in England and Wales - the most detailed information we have about our society. By taking part you can help inform decisions about services, like healthcare, education and transport.

The ONS is hiring thousands of people in a range of temporary jobs to make the census a success. Find out more at censusjobs.co.uk.

The coronavirus infection rate remains very high across the country. We are still in a national lockdown, so please continue to do all you can by staying home, to protect the NHS, and save lives. If you do need to go out for essential reasons, wash hands, cover your face and make space.  

If self-isolation has stopped you from working, and you are on a low income, you may be able to claim a £500 Test and Trace support payment. 

More people are being offered the Covid-19 vaccine every week. The NHS will contact you - by letter, text or email - when it is your turn. Please be aware of scams. The NHS will never ask you for your bank details or copies of personal documents in order to book a vaccine appointment.