Hogden Bottom in Kingswood, Beecholme Recreation Ground in Banstead and South Park in Reigate will each be upgraded with new equipment and landscaping. Our contractors, Kompan, are due to start work at Hogden Bottom during the week commencing 5 January 2026 and this play area is expected to reopen before the end of January. Works will then follow at Beecholme Recreation Ground and a start date for South Park will be agreed in the next few weeks.

The revamped play areas, funded through the annual play area replacement programme, are designed for a range of ages and abilities so that children can learn and play together. We apologise for any inconvenience while each play area is closed and encourage you to explore some of our other 50+ play areas in the borough.

Following our previous updates about the High Street improvements starting in early 2026, we can now share the construction phasing plan for works along the High Street and adjoining roads. The phasing plan is now available on the project website. This explains the order that each section will be worked on and roughly how long each part is expected to take. This is subject to change as work progresses, but the website will be updated with any changes. Surrey County Council is currently finalising the start date with its contractor and will share further updates, including the traffic management measures, as soon as more information becomes available. If you have any questions about the works, please email the project team at horleytowncentre@surreycc.gov.uk. 

Nominations for the R&B Sports Awards 2026 will now be closing on 19 January so there's still time to make sure the players, coaches, clubs and volunteers who make sport such a powerful force for good in our community get the recognition they deserve. There are 12 awards up for grabs, plus a celebration evening at Reigate Manor Hotel in March. Anyone who lives in or represents a club in the borough can nominate an individual or team.

Please remember that there are changes to everyone’s household bin collections until Saturday 10 January 2026. Our collection crews are working on Saturdays to catch up after the bank holidays and usual collections will not resume until Monday 12 January. Garden waste members please note that collections will re-start on Thursday 8 January and throughout January garden waste members can recycle their real Christmas trees with their brown bins. If you're not a garden waste member, you can take your tree to one of Surrey County Council's community recycling centres. Don't forget to remove all your decorations!

If you applied for your postal vote on or before 30 January 2024, you’ll need to re-apply by 31 January 2026. Otherwise, your postal vote will expire, and you will need to vote in person. The changes were introduced as part of the Elections Act. If we have emailed or written to you because you are affected by the changes, make sure you take action if you want to keep your postal vote. You can re-apply online or if you don’t have a postal vote already but would like one, you can apply online. There are also paper applications for those who cannot apply online.

A programme to refurbish our tennis courts is underway. The works – which may involve resurfacing, line painting (including adding pickleball court lines), cleaning and fencing, will be carried out on all 14 courts across the borough - at Lady Neville Recreation Ground, Redhill Memorial Park, Reigate Priory Park, Tattenhams Recreation Ground, Woodmansterne Recreation Ground, and Howards Close. The refurbishment programme which is due to be completed in the spring, is funded through the Community Infrastructure Levy.

Cllr Richard Biggs, Leader of the Council, will be available to take your questions, on Tuesday 20 January 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

Sleeping rough is dangerous and difficult at the best of times but it also exposes people to additional risks during the winter months. If you’re concerned about someone you believe is sleeping rough, please report it directly to our outreach service, East Surrey Outreach Service (eSOS) via Streetlink.eSOS works with people sleeping rough and those at risk of becoming homeless. There is also a local charity that we support - Renewed Hope East Surrey which provides support to those who are homeless, vulnerable and isolated. We also kindly ask that, instead of giving money to rough sleepers, you donate to a recognised housing charity. It’s likely that we are already aware of and trying to assist them and giving them money can sometimes prolong their time sleeping rough.

We are recruiting for a Systems Support Analyst and an Arborist. If these are roles you are interested in, please take a look at our current vacancies page and apply.

We're consulting on recommendations that could see every household in the borough represented by a parish or town council. These are based on proposals that were submitted during the first stage of our community governance review earlier this year and we now want to know whether you support the recommendations or would prefer an alternative. Full details are available on our website, along with information about what parish and town councils do and the additional charges collected alongside Council Tax to fund them. You can help decide how the interests of your community will be represented in the years to come by completing the survey before 16 January. 

Artists and creative practitioners interested in developing creative health activities within the Banstead and Tadworth community are invited to the first social event of the Relax, Engage, Experience, Create, Hydrate (REECH) creative network. A fabulous opportunity to meet fellow artists and creators, producers and educators - and to find out more about the programme which aims to help local people attain an improvement in their health and wellbeing through creativity. If you would like to come along or get involved, please contact Debora Alleyne-De Gazon, our Arts Development Officer.

I Choose Freedom provides refuge and a path to freedom to around 250 adult and child survivors fleeing domestic abuse each year. In their communal and individual refuges, they provide safety and wraparound practical and emotional support so that survivors can recover, begin healing and be empowered to rebuild their lives.

Importantly, the refuges are homes where families and individuals can have fun, celebrate together and begin creating happy memories free from abuse (here's a picture of a newly decorated play room to illustrate). As one adult survivor says: “I was given a safe place to heal, rebuild, and find my strength again. The support I received from the entire team changed my life in ways I never thought possible.”

If you are feeling overwhelmed or things are getting on top of you, please reach out early. Talking to someone now can make a real difference and help prevent things from becoming more serious later.

Trained mental health professionals are here to listen, understand and help you find the support that is right for you. Call 0800 915 4644 or call 111 and choose the mental health option to speak to the Surrey and Borders Partnership Foundation NHS Trust crisis helpline.

As we enter the New Year, many people reflect on their drinking habits and look for ways to reduce their consumption. If this is you, take the two-minute AlcoholWise Test today to understand your drinking, identify potential risks and set positive goals for the months ahead. There are many benefits to drinking less, such as more energy, better sleep and a reduction in anxiety levels. Alcohol can be expensive, so cutting back means more money in your pocket too.