Reigate & Banstead Borough Council has announced it is making £100,000 available to boost the vitality of its towns and villages. The Council hopes the new “Town Centre Vitality Fund” will support activities and events aimed at increasing footfall and visitor experience in the borough’s high streets and local shopping centres. The Fund is open to local town centre groups, community organisations, local councillors and private sector organisations that can demonstrate they have consulted with and have the support of the local community. It will be managed on a first come, first served basis and will close in March 2025 or when the funds have been fully awarded, whichever is sooner.

Reigate & Banstead Borough Council and Mount Green have been shortlisted in the best partnership category at the 2023 Affordable Housing Awards for their work at Wheatley Court, Redhill.

The Affordable Housing Awards recognise the work done by social landlords, charities and partners to deliver great outcomes for tenants and residents. The awards are judged by tenants and experts from individual fields, and designed not just to celebrate success, but to help other landlords learn and replicate good practice. The winners will be announced on 17 November 2023.

A grant of more than £300k will help the Police, the Council and community partners work together to tackle the causes of anti-social behaviour and violence against women and girls in the town centre. Educational projects and engagement activities are designed to complement the Redhill town centre Public Space Protection Order, which has recently been extended for a further three years. It'll pay for a Safe Space Hut as well as YMCA outreach activities for young people in the town, community engagement and an information campaign on anti-social behaviour. 

Council Leader, Cllr Richard Biggs, will be available to take your questions on Tuesday 14 November 2023. If you live or work in Reigate & Banstead Borough and have questions that you would like to put to the Leader, please email leadersurgery@reigate-banstead.gov.uk to book an appointment. Meetings can be virtual or in person.

We are looking for sponsors for the Reigate & Banstead Sports Awards 2024. The awards recognise and celebrate the achievements of sports people and clubs across the borough, as well as the invaluable contributions made by volunteers to maintain sport and physical activity.

As a sponsor, you or your business will get an opportunity to become an award judge, advertise your company or business in the event programme, via our social media platforms, and make a positive impact in the community. If you are interested in sponsoring the awards, please get in touch. 

‘Borough News’ – the printed Council magazine will be arriving on residents' doorsteps next week (6 November). You can find out how 'we are making it happen' in Horley, read about our plans for Redhill, and learn where you can seek help to improve your digital skills. We have advice on how you can keep warm and well over winter, and news on how local partnerships are helping us create stronger and healthier communities. There are also updates on the improvements we have made to our parks and play areas to make them accessible and suitable for use all year round, plus lots more.

We have included a readers' survey to get your views on the magazine, its contents, format, frequency and how it could be improved. You can also opt to complete the survey online and as a thank you there are some great prizes to be won. 

We have a number of positions available and would like to hear from you, if you possess the relevant skills. We are looking for among others, a Customer Support and Administration Officer to join our housing team, a Tree Officer, a paralegal, casual cooks, and cleaners. If you would like to work with us, visit our website for details. 

Look out for your annual paper guide to recycling, waste and bin collections that is coming through your door soon. The Recycling Guide is handy, easy to read and full of great tips to help you recycle more and reduce your waste. Why not stick it to your fridge or pin it to your noticeboard for easy reference all year round.

On Sunday 12 November 2023 there will be civic remembrance services at Shaw’s Corner (Redhill), Banstead and Horley war memorials, as well as other services at local memorials around the borough to remember those who served to protect peace and freedom.

Come along to Banstead Community Centre on Saturday 25 November,10am to 2pm. You can have a go at some of our activities, including children's face painting, line dancing, meditation sound bath and children's face painting. There will be festive stalls to browse, festive treats in the Best Bites Cafe, plus a special guest appearance by Father Christmas!

We are carrying out an interim review of polling districts and polling places and are asking residents, disability groups and other interested parties to give their views. The review looks at the size and boundaries of polling districts (the areas created by dividing electoral wards into smaller sections with roughly the same number of electors) and the location and suitability of polling places (the buildings in which polling stations are situated) with particular regard to access for residents with disabilities. The deadline for comments is 30 November 2023.

NHS England (London and South East regions) has launched a public consultation on the proposed future location of very specialist cancer treatment services for children living in south London and much of south east England. The consultation started on 26 September and will close at midnight on 18 December 2023. The consultation will help NHS England decide where the proposed future Principal Treatment Centre for these children should be. 

On Wednesday 8 November, Reigate & Banstead residents are invited to join Lisa Townsend, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey, Nev Kemp, the Deputy Chief Constable for Surrey Police, and the local Borough Commander for a chance to ask your questions about local policing. The in-person event is scheduled to begin at 6:30pm with presentations starting at 6:45pm. It will take place at Holy Trinity Church Redhill, Carlton Road RH1 2BX.  Attendance is free but prior booking required. A virtual event will be held in January 2024 for those who are unable to attend the event in person.

YMCA East Surrey is organising walks to help participants keep well and fit this autumn and winter. The walks are free and a great way to meet people. People can turn up on the day as there is no need to book in advance. They only ask that walkers try to get to the starting point 10 minutes before the walk starts. 

25 November marks the start of 16 Days of Activism - an annual international campaign against Gender-Based Violence. During these 16 days, East Surrey Domestic Abuse Services (ESDAS) are asking hair and beauty professionals within the East Surrey area to sign up to their free online training which will be held in January 2024. Cut It Out - as the campaign is called - is aimed at raising awareness about domestic abuse. It was first launched in Norfolk following the death of Kerri McAuley, who was killed in 2017 by her abusive partner. Before her death, Kerri had disclosed to her hairdresser that she was a victim of abuse and reached out for support, but the seriousness of her situation wasn’t realised until too late. For more information, or to talk in confidence, please email: cutitout@esdas.org.uk

SES Water will be holding its second ‘Your water, your say’ Q&A session to tell customers and the communities they serve about the plan. They will also be providing people an opportunity to ask questions about the service they provide, their impact on the environment, water bill or any other topic. The aim is to allow customers to ask questions on topics important to them. To participate, email yourwateryoursay@ccwater.org.uk, letting them know your question is for SES Water. There will be an opportunity to ask questions during the meeting itself. Sessions will take place on 16 November from 6pm via Microsoft Teams with the provision for people to join from SES's Redhill office by prior arrangement. 

If you're looking to save money on your energy costs, Surrey County Council's Energy Advice Tool can help. Just answer a few short questions and you will receive tailored information and advice on how you could save money. Regardless of your financial situation you can get advice on a range of topics including measures to improve energy efficiency in your home, and grants you could be eligible for. 

Millions of eligible people in England can now book their autumn COVID-19 vaccine online. Bookings can be made either via the NHS website, the NHS App, or by calling 119.Those eligible include people aged 65 and over, pregnant women and those with an underlying health condition.