Wednesday 31 December, 2025

By David Grantham

In this issue: the past year has seen 61 flats approved across three office blocks in London Road, Reigate, under permitted development rules - plans at a fourth block have now returned after an earlier knock-back.

Thanks for reading in 2025, and I wish you a very happy new year.

News in brief

South Park play area is on Reigate & Banstead’s annual replacement programme for 2026 (Öffnet in neuem Fenster); work dates will be announced in the next few weeks. A new mini trim trail will be installed, along with inclusive items such as a swing, spinners and a multi-activity sensory panel. Two other play areas, in Kingswood and Banstead, will also receive new equipment. This year’s programme saw upgrades to Fairfax Avenue in Redhill, Somerset Road in Meadvale, and Woodmansterne Rec.

The English Arts Chorale is hosting an open singing day at St Mary’s Church, Chart Lane, Reigate, on Saturday 10 January. The day will feature Brahms’ Ein deutsches Requiem, and end with an informal concert that friends and family can go along to. Details here (Öffnet in neuem Fenster).

Surrey might still get a mayor, to cover both the new East Surrey and West Surrey, but there’s no confirmed government decision, let alone a mayoral election date. However, County Cllr Tim Oliver, leader of Surrey County Council, says he is still confident it will happen (Öffnet in neuem Fenster).

Alice in Wonderland, “a truly delightful panto”, runs at the Archway theatre (Öffnet in neuem Fenster), Horley, 9 - 24 January.

Live music dates in Redhill this new year

“The next big thing performing right there in front of you, not miles away in a stadium,” say Redstart Community CIO, announcing some of the acts they’ve lined up for their 2026 Mall Sessions in the Belfry shopping centre, Redhill.

Details on Goodshow here (Öffnet in neuem Fenster), or on Facebook here (Öffnet in neuem Fenster).

Borough council leader looks ahead to 2026

Includes reporting from Chris Caulfield, Local Democracy Reporter

Elections will be held in May 2026 for the new East Surrey authority which will mean, locally, the merger of Reigate & Banstead Borough Council with Surrey County Council (Öffnet in neuem Fenster).

The changes will fully take effect in 2027, with East Surrey acting as a “shadow authority” until then.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service has asked council leaders across Surrey what they hope to achieve before the changes arrive.

Looking back at 2025, Cllr Richard Biggs (Conservative), leader of Reigate and Banstead Borough Council, said: “As we reflect on a challenging year for local government in Surrey and the tight deadlines imposed on us by central government to define the future under new unitary authorities, my first thanks are to all our staff who have not only been involved in the restructuring but still managed to deliver business as usual.”

For 2026 he said that, along with business as usual, he hoped to have progressed a number of projects that he felt were important for residents. 

Among them is the community governance review, which is the subject of a current survey (Öffnet in neuem Fenster), and which the borough council will consider over the first few months of 2026. 

Biggs said: “This gives residents the opportunity to discuss and to inform us as a council on the setting up of town and parish councils. 

“As a borough we have large areas that are unparished, it is for the residents to decide the benefits or otherwise of establishing these.

“We have also begun a programme of community asset transfers (Öffnet in neuem Fenster). This programme gives groups, charities and the existing parish councils the opportunity to take over an asset to ensure it is available for community use long into the future.”

Office block plans return