Could you offer a new home to Ukrainians who have found a safe refuge in Reigate & Banstead? One year on since Russia invaded Ukraine, the Council is urgently seeking new accommodation for Ukrainian guests already living in the borough whose hosting arrangements have either come to an end, or are about to. There are over 300 Ukrainians in the borough.

The 2023/24 budget was approved at the Full Council meeting in February. As part of this, an annual increase of £7.25 for the average household to Reigate & Banstead's element of Council Tax was agreed, as well as an extensive programme of capital investment funding. Leader of Reigate & Banstead Borough Council, Cllr Mark Brunt, said: “Every time we set a new annual budget, we work very hard to make the most of the resources we have. It continues to be an unpredictable and difficult time in local government, with ongoing and new challenges. This year’s budget tackles these challenges and prioritises the vital services our communities need, alongside investing in future opportunities.” 

After a lengthy investigation, and joint work by our Fraud and Financial Investigations Team and our Legal Team, a 46-year-old nurse pleaded guilty to housing fraud and was sentenced at Guildford Crown Court. She had sublet her social housing property in Merstham to others, whilst living elsewhere. As well as costing local taxpayers a significant amount of money, her unfair behaviour prevented a family on our Housing List from moving into a home.

You will need to show photographic ID to vote at all polling stations in this year’s local elections, after new rules have been introduced by the Government. This will apply for the first time in England at the local elections on Thursday 4 May 2023. We are urging residents to make sure they are ready to vote by checking now that they have an accepted form of ID. If you don't have one, you will need to apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate. 

Cllr Mark Brunt, Leader of Reigate & Banstead Borough Council, has confirmed he will retire in May 2023 after almost 20 years in frontline politics. A Conservative councillor for Hooley, Merstham and Netherne, Cllr Blunt became Leader of the Council in May 2018. He said that he has "felt so proud to have led Council over the past five years, especially through the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic".  

Our R&Be Active school holiday activities will be running again this Easter holiday from Monday 3 April 2023 to Sunday 16 April 2023. There is a range of free and low-cost activities for four to 12-year-olds. If you would like to be added to our mailing list or to receive information about holiday activities directly to your mailbox, please contact us.

Every box, cup, bottle, or can dropped all adds up to a lot of litter. This is unattractive and harmful for the environment, animals, and our own health. We spend over £1million each year to keep the borough’s streets clean and litter free - and there are many amazing local #LitterHeroes who give up their time to keep the borough tidy too. If you are thinking of organising an event for Keep Britain Tidy's annual Great British Spring Clean, 17 March to 2 April, then let us know. We can supply you with a litter picking kit and arrange a collection afterwards.

We take rubbish seriously and use mobile CCTV to deter or catch offenders dumping rubbish at our recycling sites. Over 12 days during the Christmas holidays mobile cameras helped us to issue 12 fixed penalty notices for fly tipping or littering at The Mound carpark, Tattenham Corner. We want to remind people that dumping non-recyclable items at recycling bring sites is fly tipping, which is illegal and a criminal offence. You can report a fly tip to us on our website, where you can also find advice on how to dispose of waste responsibly.

Have a question about the Borough? If you live or work in Reigate & Banstead Borough Council you can put your questions about local issues to RBBC Leader, Cllr Mark Brunt. The next Leader's Surgery is on Tuesday 21 March 2023. Email leadersurgery@reigate-banstead.gov.uk to book.

If you or someone you know is looking for a new career challenge, why not take a look at the varied opportunities available at the Council. Current vacancies include positions for a Family Support Coordinator, Driver, Technician for our theatre and cinema in Redhill, and a Personal Assistant for our Executive Team among others. 

The Fun Run & Sports Festival is coming back to Priory Park in Reigate on 30 April 2023 with a variety of sports activities for adults and children of all ages. Whilst the festival is free to attend and everyone is welcome, you need to register to take part in the one and five mile Fun Run races. Registration is now open for the Fun Run and for sports clubs wishing to showcase their activities at the festival. 

Are you planning a street party with neighbours to celebrate the King’s Coronation? We wouldn’t want you to miss out on your party because you missed the application date. Whilst street party applications are free, they need to be submitted by Friday 24 March 2023. Remember you can also invite the Mayor or Deputy Mayor to your event!

Registration is now open for the Specsavers Surrey Youth Games 2023. The games will take place between April and June, bringing together 7-16-year-olds from across Surrey. Activity sessions include street basketball, boxing, GoTri, boccia, judo, girls’ rugby, tennis and inclusive dance.

Detailed designs for improvements to Horley High Street and subway have gone on display at Horley Library, along with new designs for enhancements to the Central Car Park for the first time. The designs are the next stage in the Council’s project to help the town centre work better for local people, make it more attractive and boost the local economy. The display can be viewed at Horley Library in Russell Square, Victoria Road until 13 March and online.

Compost your garden and food waste at home this spring by grabbing a half price compost bin in the Surrey Environment Partnership's Spring Sale. You can nourish your garden with homemade compost and turn your waste into something beautiful. Leaves, eggshells, grass cuttings and coffee grounds are just some of the items you can compost from home. Sale ends 24 March.

To celebrate the 200 year anniversary of Reigate Tunnel, the Reigate Business Guild is holding an art competition. The competition is open to all ages and all artwork should use Reigate Tunnel as the focal point. An exhibition will be held in Reigate Tunnel from June to September 2023. Adam's Gallery will be judging the different categories and winners will be announced in July. The closing date for entries is 30 April 2023.

Community Debt Advice (CDA), based in Redhill, offers free expert debt advice. If you’re having problems managing your finances, their highly trained staff can sit with you to understand your fears and work out an individual plan. They will help you deal with your debt worries, giving support for as long as you need it. As the cost of living continues to rise, so too does the number of households struggling to pay the bills. Between April and December 2022, CDA helped 80 new households and by this January demand for support was up 77% compared with the previous year. Council teams work closely with CDA to support residents hardest hit by the cost of living and we provide a grant contribution to the service to help fund their free, confidential advice. You can call direct on 01737 887558 for an appointment.

Surrey County Council's new online Energy Advice Tool can help you save money before the further increase in energy bills, which is expected in April this year. Answer a few short questions and you’ll get tailored information and details about:

• Any free or part-funded schemes you could use to make your home more energy efficient
• Debt relief grants
• Where to find clothes and food banks
• Fuel vouchers

You can find information about a wide range of support and advice available locally to help with the cost of living on our website.