Councillors Eddy Humphreys and James Baker were respectively elected as the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Reigate & Banstead at the Annual Council meeting held at the Town Hall on Thursday 25 May.

The two councillors have lived in the borough for a number of years and are ardent supporters of volunteering. Cllr Humphreys, who has chosen ‘togetherness’ as the theme for his mayoralty, said: “It is a great honour to be elected Mayor. I’m looking forward to meeting residents, businesses and local groups from across the borough, and raising money for my nominated charities: The Royal British Legion and The Lucy Rayner Foundation."

The Redhill Business Guild is planning a two-day event called #DestinationRedhill on June 16 and 17 to showcase and celebrate businesses across Redhill town centre including The Light, The Harlequin Theatre & Cinema and The Belfry shopping centre.

Festivities will kick off on Friday June 16 at 3pm with the official opening of The Light - a thrilling new leisure facility which includes a six-screen cinema and 11 different attractions. There will also be an exciting competition, offering participants the chance to win an incredible day out in Redhill with their family or friends.

We will be celebrating Refugee Week from Monday 19 June to Sunday 25 June with a series of events, activities, and films.

 
Refugee Week is a world-wide arts and culture festival aimed at promoting an understanding of refugees, their plight, resilience, and contribution to society. 

This year’s theme is compassion – and we are hoping our weeklong activities will be an opportunity for everyone to reflect upon the importance of showing compassion particularly to those seeking sanctuary.

From this month, visitors to Redhill town centre and its new entertainment venue The Rise, will be able to enjoy convenient late-night parking in The Belfry Shopping Centre thanks to a deal struck between Reigate & Banstead Borough Council and the shopping centre’s new owners.

The price for parking after 6pm will be capped at £2 for the whole evening with customers of The Light cinema and leisure venue, situated within The Rise complex, getting free parking if they validate their ticket.

Nominations for this year’s Reigate & Banstead Volunteer Awards are now open with calls to residents, community groups, and voluntary organisations to nominate anyone who deserves recognition.

The annual award scheme, set up twenty years ago, recognises the unrewarded heroes who do a great amount of valuable work for the borough and its community. It is also meant to show appreciation to volunteers for their selfless service.  The scheme is organised by Reigate & Banstead Borough Council in partnership with Voluntary Action Reigate and Banstead.

A brand new report has revealed that Surrey residents are among England’s top performers when it comes to recycling. And the Surrey Environment Partnership (SEP) is urging residents to keep up the good work and help the county stay at the top! Recycling in Surrey 2021-22 shows that 54.4% of Surrey’s waste is recycled, composted or reused; the 3rd highest of 29 comparable local authorities in England. The new report analyses the latest available figures (from 2021-22) and compiles data from all SEP’s partners, the 11 district and borough councils, which collect residents’ waste, and Surrey County Council, which runs the county’s community recycling centres and is responsible for waste disposal.

From 5 June, homeowners can register their interest in joining this Surrey County Council backed group-buying scheme for solar panels and batteries. Group buying can be a simpler way of turning your dreams of generating your own clean electricity into reality and promises a high-quality installation at a competitive price. If you register this summer you'll receive a no obligation quote once the supplier has been chosen. If you already have solar panels you can still apply for batteries in this round. Hundreds of local residents benefited from the previous Solar Together scheme; cutting their carbon emissions, saving money on their bills and contributing to the UK's energy security.

Have a question about the borough? If you live or work in Reigate & Banstead borough you can put your questions about local issues to Council Leader, Cllr Richard Biggs. The next Leader's Surgery is on Tuesday 27 June 2023. Email leadersurgery@reigate-banstead.gov.uk to book.

We have a number of roles to fill and would like to hear from you if you have the experience. We are looking for a Café Coordinator, Cleaners, and Casual Cooks. So, if you have a passion for creating appetising menus, or would like to work with friendly teams at one of our Community Centres, get in touch.

Harlequin Outdoors is back this summer with a fantastic array of shows. Whether it is The Wind in the Willows, Wuthering Heights; Pride and Prejudice or Sense and Sensibility, Doctor Doolittle, The Great Gatsby, Robin Hood, David Walliam's Bad Dad, or you simply want to soak up some Shakespeare with Machamlear, Twelfth Night or Much Ado About Nothing - the choice has never been greater. Show times vary so please check your tickets for further information, including approximate running times. 

The Pub in the Park food and music festival is coming to Priory Park on 23 to 25 June. The Reigate chef hosts are Michelin-Starred chef Tom Kerridge, Sunday Brunch’s Simon Rimmer and Saturday Kitchen presenter and chef Matt Tebbutt and the festival menus have just been announced! You can find out what's on offer here. 

This summer Luna Cinema returns to Priory Park, Reigate, with three movies over three nights, from 29 June to 1 July. As day turns to night and the stars come out to play, sit back, relax, and watch one of these blockbusters or feel-good classics -  Elvis, Top Gun or Grease. There’s no ushering, no hushing or shushing. Dance, sing, form a conga line if you want to! Or just relax with a drink and enjoy being part of a quintessentially British summer scene. 

The first concepts for an exciting mural-style public art project in Horley subway are currently on display to find out what the public think of the designs. The artworks – which were informed by what the community said is special about the town in previous consultations - are part of a project to help the town centre work better for local people, make it more attractive, and boost the local economy.

Natural England's statutory and public consultation on extending the existing Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) by 25% runs until 13 June 2023. Launched on Tuesday 7 March 2023, the proposal will see the AONB increase by over 100 square kilometres. It is thought to be part of an ambitious programme of landscape designation and is one of four new designation projects aimed at helping deliver on the Government’s commitment to safeguard more of England’s beautiful and iconic landscapes for future generations.

To help people with cost-of-living pressures and save on everyday travel costs, the Government will continue to cap single bus fares at £2 outside London until the end of October 2023 and then at £2.50 until 30 November 2024 – when the government will review their effectiveness and future bus fares.

The government has also published a list of bus companies and bus routes included in the £2 bus fare cap scheme.

The 2023 spring coronavirus (COVID-19) booster programme is now underway. A spring booster dose is being offered to:

• adults aged 75 years and over
• residents in a care home for older adults
• individuals aged 5 years and over who are immunosuppressed

Those eligible can book their vaccination on the National Booking Service or NHS App. The last date to book spring boosters will be 30 June 2023.