Surrey County Council has taken back responsibility for the management of on-street parking and the enforcement of related parking regulations. The County Council is also now responsible for the cutting and maintenance of verges. The countywide switchover took immediate effect on Saturday 1 April 2023. We will continue to enforce parking regulations in Reigate & Banstead Borough Council car parks, and only cut grass in our designated parks and green spaces. 

Merstham and Redhill residents are being encouraged to borrow free Health and Activity Trackers as part of a new collaborative project aimed at encouraging residents to take part in activities, events and services that will increase their physical activity levels. You have to be a library member to take part in the scheme and the trackers are available to borrow for six weeks with an opportunity to renew. The trackers have a whole host of features including sleep and activity tracking, heart rate and stress monitoring, and PAI – personal activity intelligence metric which can help wearers manage their health status.  Each library will have three to  four trackers which are available to loan to adult members only.

We are still looking for sponsors and landlords for people seeking suitable accommodation in the borough, including refugees from Ukraine, Syria and other countries. If you are an existing landlord or would like to become a landlord, we would like to hear from you.

We have a number of roles to fill and would like to hear from you if you have the experience, and are dedicated to public service. We are looking for among others: a Partnerships and Projects Support Officer - to support our work across communities, an Internal Communications Business Partner, a Money Advice Officer, and a Family Support Coordinator. If you are passionate about making a difference in people's lives, please 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. 

Registration and training for the Specsavers Surrey Youth Games - the biggest multi-sport youth programme of its kind in the South East, offering FREE local training for 7-16 year olds, continues. The games will culminate into a final celebratory event at Surrey Sports Park in Guildford on Saturday 17 June 2023. Remember, the games are designed for beginners, so you don't have to worry about having not attended a sports club before, or being sporty. Training will be provided free of charge. The priority is to have fun and give activities a go. 

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 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. 

Natural England's statutory and public consultation on extending the existing Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) by 25% runs until 16 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.

I Choose Freedom Charity accommodate and support thirty women and up to sixty children in their communal refuges. They also offer eight self-contained, fully supported properties for any survivor of domestic abuse. Survivors stay in their refuges for six months and are then supported in the community after they leave. I Choose freedom offer a holistic package of support that is tailor made to the needs of each survivor but will likely include therapy, advocacy, emotional support and practical help. You can read some survivor stories and find out more about the work they do at www.ichoosefreedom.co.uk

If you are experiencing Domestic Abuse and need a refuge space or support please call the National Domestic Abuse Helpline: 08082000247 or the Surrey Domestic Abuse Helpline: 01483 776822

The Light is opening a new cinema and leisure venue at The Rise, Redhill in early summer - and  offering one lucky winner a six month VIP membership, which includes unlimited access to films and fantastic discounts. All you need to do is subscribe to The Light's newsletter. The Rise will also be holding two recruitment days in May - so if you’re interested in working at The Light, send an email to: jobs@thelight.co.uk. You can also search for local jobs on our dedicated jobs website Reigate & Banstead Works.