Sporting heroes from around the borough were celebrated at the annual Reigate & Banstead Sports Awards at the Harlequin Theatre & Cinema, Redhill on 21 February. A grand total of 83 nominations were received – the highest number on record since the awards began. Sportspeople, coaches, teams, and volunteers were all among those highlighted as the borough’s best sporting talent.

At its Full Council meeting on 10 February, the Council approved next financial year’s budget. The budget was agreed alongside a Council Tax annual increase of £5 for the average household and an extensive programme of capital investment funding. The balanced budget will address spending pressures brought on by Covid, increasing some budgets and reducing others by cutting costs, pausing some planned expenditure and/or finding new sources of income.

Are you registered to vote? Borough councillor elections are on Thursday, 5 May and you have until 14 April to register. If you think you may be away on voting day, apply as soon as possible for a postal vote - the final deadline is 5pm on 19 April. For a proxy vote – when a friend or relative casts your vote for you – you must apply by 5pm on 26 April.

'Game On' is a new and exciting sports project for young people in school years 5 to 8, running from January to March 2022.  At a Game On session young people will have the chance to try a new sport, make friends and have fun. All Game On sessions are free of charge and all abilities are welcome. Before you attend your first session, you will need to register online.

Our R&Be Active programme helps children to learn new skills, build self-confidence and improve physical and mental health. We want to work with more local sports clubs, coaches, and activity providers to develop new sessions for kids to enjoy. Send us an email to get involved. Contact leisure.services@reigate-banstead.gov.uk

If you or someone you know is looking for a new job locally, check our website for our latest vacancies.

Did you know our community centres in Banstead, Horley and Woodhatch are available for hire? There is a wide choice of bookable spaces for weddings and parties, as well as corporate meetings, training events and community activities. With modern facilities, equipped with full audio visual support and space for up to 200 guests, there's something for every occasion.

Fairtrade Fortnight returns for 2022, with a packed calendar of free online events. New activities are being announced every day as part of the Choose The World You Want Fairtrade festival, including cookalongs, crafting and expert climate justice debates - there's something for everyone.

Residents and business in Horley are being asked for their views on ideas for public space improvements to the High Street and subway. They form part of a project to help the town centre better serve local people and boost the local economy. The improvements aim to create more welcoming spaces by enhancing their look and feel and making them safer and easier to use, along with measures to promote walking and cycling.

You may receive a request from us very soon to take part in our first survey about environmental sustainability. Please take part if we contact you. You don’t have to be interested in or knowledgeable about environmental issues to answer the questions and we hope to hear a wide range of views and opinions. Look out for our email!

Funding is now available under the Government’s Green Homes Grant scheme to help Surrey households save money on their energy bills and improve the energy efficiency of their homes. Eligible residents could get up to £10,000, to pay for cavity wall insulation, loft insulation and solar panels. Applications can only be accepted by Action Surrey until 31 March 2022 so check whether you’re eligible today. Call 0800 783 2503 or visit the Action Surrey website for more information.

The Boundary Commission for England (BCE) has launched a secondary public consultation on its initially proposed map of constituencies, which runs until Monday 4 April. The review will rebalance the number of electors in each constituency, and the number of constituencies in England.

If you live in a property in council tax bands A to D, you may be eligible to receive a non-repayable £150 Council Tax rebate from the Government to help with energy price increases. Second homes or empty properties will not be eligible.This rebate will be in the form of a direct payment, so it will not be deducted from your forthcoming Council Tax bill for 2022/23. Payments will not be made before April. In the meantime, if you don’t already pay your bill by Direct Debit, consider signing up now, as this may make receiving the rebate quicker when the time comes.

The Government has published its plan for Living with COVID-19 and removed domestic restrictions in England. 

You are no longer legally required to self-isolate if you, or someone you have been in contact with, tests positive for COVID-19. However, the NHS guidance is that you should stay at home and avoid contact with other people. This helps reduce the chance of passing COVID-19 on to others.

The Test and Trace Support Payment Scheme has also ended, although if you were told to self-isolate before 24 February you can still make a claim up to 6 April.

Free universal testing will end for most people from 1 April, however, there will be some limited free ongoing testing.