Introducing Future Surrey; our way to let you know about the upcoming changes in Surrey through Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) and Devolution. Future Surrey is a temporary brand, developed by us, the county council and the other district and borough councils in Surrey. You'll receive information through your door, on social media, in newsletters, in your local library and community spaces; and we're bringing together all information, updates and resources in one trusted place through a new website. This should help people understand what is changing, why it is happening and what it means for you. 

LGR will bring significant change to how councils in Surrey are structured and how local services are delivered. From 1 April 2027, government has decided that Surrey's current county, district and borough councils will be replaced by two new unitary councils, East Surrey and West Surrey. On Thursday 7 May 2026, you will be able to vote for who represents you on your new East Surrey Council. You can find out more about elections below and on the Future Surrey website.

On Thursday 7 May 2026, Reigate & Banstead residents will have the opportunity to vote for the councillors they want to represent them on the new East Surrey Council. The new council will eventually be responsible for delivering all council services in their area which, as well as Reigate & Banstead, will cover the council areas of Elmbridge, Epsom and Ewell, Mole Valley and Tandridge. You will need to be registered to be able to vote. If you aren't already registered, you can do so online at gov.uk/register-to-vote. The deadline to register for these elections is midnight on 20 April 2026. You can vote in person, by post or by proxy (when you appoint someone you trust to vote on your behalf). You can find all you need to know to get ready to vote on 7 May on the elections pages of the Future Surrey website.

Beecholme Recreation Ground play area in Banstead wass the first of the three play areas being refurbished as part of our 2025/26 programme. Hogden Bottom play area in Kingswood is also complete and work on South Park play area is expected to start later in the spring. All three play areas are being upgraded with new equipment and landscaping.

Horley High Street and public realm improvement works will begin week commencing 9 February and should take approximately a year to complete. A full list of the different works phases and their expected durations can be found on the project webpage. A contractor’s compound will be set up in the High Street Car Park, which will be closed for one week to allow for set-up. The car park will reopen with reduced capacity until the work is finished and the compound is removed. Please use alternative parking where possible. See our Horley car parks webpage for details of the council's  other car parks. If you have any questions about the project, please email the project team at horleytowncentre@surreycc.gov.uk

The Great British Spring Clean is back and will take place from 13 to 29 March. Run by Keep Britain Tidy, it is the nation's biggest mass-action environmental campaign. This year marks 10 years since the campaign was launched - a period over which thousands of litter heroes have shown how much they love where they live by picking more than 4.5 million bags of litter. If you are planning to organise a community litter pick, you'll be able to make a pledge on the Keep Britain Tidy website from 13 February. Please let us know too so we can help you publicise your event, support you with equipment, and collect your bags.

The award, which is part of a global campaign to find the world's greenest countries, companies and communities, was recently presented to members of our Cleansing team and their supplier partner, Future Street, at a ceremony in the House of Lords. It recognises the joint project to install more than 120 solar compacting big belly bins across the borough. The bins have significantly reduced street litter and fly tipping in our four town centres due to increased capacity and smart technology, which alerts the team before they overflow. Since the bins were installed, we estimate that the Cleansing team spends 50% less time emptying litter bins in town centres which has saved on fuel requirements, reduced C02 emissions and freed up staff time to concentrate on other duties, such as litter picking and street sweeping.

Schools, play areas, green spaces, sports, medical and community facilities, war memorials and energy-saving measures are just some of the ways that over £2 million in developer contributions were spent in 2024/25. The money comes from the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), a charge collected from developers of new developments to support our growing communities with the services and facilities they need (Strategic CIL) and to enable local community projects with vital funds (CIL Local Fund). Since the introduction of CIL in April 2016, we have collected over £22.04 million and spent £12.34 million to date. Anyone that has an improvement project that could deliver positive change for their local community can submit a bid for funding from the CIL Local Fund. Learn more about recently completed schemes and how to submit a funding bid on our website.

Our community asset transfer and support programme - which seeks to ensure that vital facilities continue to meet the needs of local people beyond the life of this council - sparked huge interest. We received over 160 expressions of interest from 84 local organisations keen to take on management of council-owned assets, such as village halls and sports pavilions. Almost 30 organisations that operate their own buildings bid for grants to improve them and secure their long-term future. Following assessment, 52 proposals have been invited to put forward business cases for consideration. Final decisions will be made in March, after which the transfer process for successful applicants can begin. Assets that deliver key council services, produce significant income, or are needed for strategic reasons aren’t up for transfer.

Cllr Richard Biggs, Leader of the Council, will be available to take your questions, on Tuesday 24 February between 4pm and 6pm. If you have questions and/or ideas that you would like to put to him, this is your opportunity. Appointments must be pre-booked and can either be virtual or in-person. You have to be a resident or work in the borough to get an appointment. To book, please email: leadersurgery@reigate-banstead.gov.uk

We are recruiting for a Reserve Driver. If this is a role you are interested in, please take a look at our current vacancies page and apply.

At a thank you evening held at the Town Hall, and hosted by the Resettlement Team, the council thanked hosts - both current and past - for their courage and generosity in helping Ukrainian guests in need. Guests and hosts came together to enjoy wonderful food, including delicious Ukrainian dishes, whilst listening to music and some heartfelt messages from those who have been directly involved with the Homes for Ukraine and Ukraine Family Schemes. It was a truly special evening, filled with moving stories of people arriving as strangers, but managing to find safety, friendship, and belonging in many homes around the borough.

Our annual residents’ survey is your chance to have a say about what life is like in Reigate & Banstead – what you love, what you’d change and your feedback about the services we provide. Your answers help inform the plans and priorities for your local area. The survey runs until 23 February and, if you take part, you can enter the prize draw for a £50 shopping voucher. You can complete the survey online using the link below or request an alternative format by emailing engagement@reigate-banstead.gov.uk or phoning 01737276 000. If you are deaf or hard of hearing please send an SMS to 07834 626 468.

This is your chance to hear from our architects and let us know what you think about the latest designs. Local people have been helping to shape the modernisation of Horley Community Centre and we’d like to share the current proposals. Everyone is welcome at a drop-in exhibition:

•  at Horley Community Centre, Albert Road, Horley RH6 7JA 
• on Tuesday 10 February, 3pm to 7pm 

If you can’t attend on Tuesday, you will be able to see the exhibition materials and find out more about the project online. 

From the award-winning Farnham Maltings, All For Your Delight is a sparkling new theatre experience that celebrates variety and the world of live entertainers. The production on Wednesday 4 March will be taking over The Belfry shopping centre in Redhill. You'll meet the Brightcoats, who are on a mission to give you and your family the best darn night out you've had in years - with comedy, music, magic and games. Expect glitter, gags and a good time! Tickets cost £18 (£9 for 10 to 16 year olds) and can be booked through our website.

Kordia events will be hosting the first vegan market in Reigate on Saturday 7 February 2026. Pop along between 10am and 4pm in Tunnel Road, to enjoy delicious plant-based street food, barista coffee, cakes, handmade crafts, snacks, and much more. 

Southern Building Control Partnership are hosting a free Continuing Professional Development (CPD) event on 11 February 2026 at Tandridge District Council offices, 8 Station Road East, Oxted RH8 0BT, starting at 12:30 PM.

As a shared service for Tandridge District Council, Reigate & Banstead Borough Council and Mole Valley District Council anyone across the districts is welcome.

We’re excited to welcome Gareth Evans from Rockwool, who will deliver a 45-minute session covering liability in relation to fire protection.

If you’re involved in the provision of fire protection at any level or you share responsibility for its effectiveness, this session will provide valuable insight into fulfilling your legal responsibilities through improved knowledge and best practices. All welcome!

YMCA East Surrey's mission is to help young people, families and the local community to thrive. They believe everyone should have a fair chance to discover who they are and what they can become. YMCA East Surrey help over 18,000 people a year with many aspects of their lives. Housing for homeless young people, play schemes for disabled children, youth clubs, mental health support, childcare, exercise classes and a gym are just some of the services they offer. Their challenge events can also help participants reach their goals, improve fitness, and have fun - all whilst helping them continue transforming lives. Could you cycle from Redhill to Paris or trek the Three Peaks in just 24 hours?

While farm visits are brilliant family fun, animals can carry germs that cause illness in people. Sometimes these are serious, especially for young children and pregnant women. Even healthy animals can carry these germs without showing symptoms. If you or your children develop sickness or diarrhoea within two weeks of a farm visit, contact your GP or call NHS 111. If anyone has bloody diarrhoea, seek immediate medical attention.

Pregnant women should take extra care, as some animal-borne infections can harm both mother and baby.

If you’re preparing to renovate, extend, or convert your home, it’s important to understand which approvals you need. Planning and Building Control are two separate processes, handled by different teams, each with a different purpose. Planning Permission looks at how your project looks and how it affects neighbours and the local area. Building Control focuses on how your project is built, checking safety, structure, fire protection, drainage, insulation, accessibility, and overall compliance. Southern Building Control Partnership is our shared Building Control Service supporting homeowners to help projects run smoothly and safely.