Saturday 1 November, 2025

By David Grantham

In this issue: East Surrey and West Surrey will be the two new unitary authorities for the county from 1 April 2027, when Surrey County Council and boroughs and districts such as Reigate & Banstead will be abolished. Elections to the new bodies will take place next May. More below, after a news round-up.

Key town centre road closed southbound

Bell Street is closed southbound near its junction with Bancroft Road, meaning traffic exiting Bancroft Road, or Morrisons, can’t turn south.

Travel northbound up Bell Street is unaffected, except two lanes have become one.

The Surrey roadworks map (Abre numa nova janela) (which only lists a lane closure), says the cause is a sunken manhole cover, “a Thames Water asset”, and that work could run to 7 Nov (though that’s likely based on permit dates so could turn out better or worse).

News in brief

The London to Brighton Veteran Car Run takes place tomorrow Sunday 2 November, marking its 125th anniversary. As usual, locally the cars will be making their way down the A23 from Merstham to Horley. Spectators can find route and timing details here (Abre numa nova janela).

The Thrill of Love, a play about Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be hanged in the UK, will be performed in Reigate by St Mark’s Players, at St Mark’s Church, Alma Road, on Friday 28 and Saturday 29 November. More details here (Abre numa nova janela).

Reigate Business Guild’s Christmas Fayre (Abre numa nova janela) takes place on Saturday 29 November, 11.30am - 5pm, with the big Christmas light switch-on at 4.30pm. Church Street will be closed to traffic, to allow space for the entertainment and stalls, as in previous years.

Rules for Living, written by British playwright Sam Holcroft, is currently running at the Archway theatre in Horley (Abre numa nova janela), who describe their production as a “theatrically playful, dark comedy” looking “at what happens when an extended family gathers in the kitchen for a traditional Christmas and they each follow rigidly their own coping strategies, or rules for living.” Performances run until Saturday 8 November.

Libraries, church halls and community centres are among the more than 80 Warm Welcome venues opening across Surrey (Abre numa nova janela) from today until 31 March, providing a space for people of all ages to get warm, have a free hot drink and socialise with others. Some venues also offer free energy advice, social activities, community fridges, free winter essentials and more. The Surrey County Council initiative (Abre numa nova janela) is now in its 4th year.

Care costs: Surrey County Council has launched (Abre numa nova janela) a new “Care Cost Indicator” to help people judge how long their savings or assets may last when paying for care. The aim is to help people prepare, and also see whether spending some money now, for example on new technology or small home improvements, might avoid more expensive care later.

Businesses can apply for a share of £1.7 million in round two (Abre numa nova janela) of Surrey’s Economic Growth fund which offers match-funding grants of £10k-£75k. Applicants will need to show how the investments will bring real benefits to Surrey’s people, places and economy. Bids close 16 November.

Future of local government set out

East Surrey and West Surrey will be the two new unitary authorities in Surrey from 1 April 2027, the Government has announced (Abre numa nova janela).