Last night (26 March) the Council agreed final recommendations for all areas of our borough to be represented by a town or parish council. These were put forward by a cross-party working group of councillors and shaped by two rounds of public consultation - thank you to everyone who took part.

In summary, the agreed recommendations are for:

• a new Banstead and The Villages Council in the north of the borough
• minor changes to Horley Town Council to increase the number of town councillors and change the wards to better reflect local communities and new development
• a new Redhill Town Council that includes the areas of Merstham, Earlswood and Whitebushes
• a new Reigate Town Council
• no changes to Salfords & Sidlow Parish Council

This decision completes our community governance review. The next step will be to prepare a draft legal Order for the new East Surrey Council, which will have the legal power to implement these changes.

You can find out more at https://orlo.uk/GfYIB
Email cgr@reigate-banstead.gov.uk

Many of you may have noticed some extra flowers blooming on the roundabout over the last few weeks.

The success of last year’s planting is evident now the weather is getting warmer. In 2025, the group planted over 500 more spring flowering bulbs, sowed yellow rattle over half the space and sowed seed donations with more to be sown into ready prepared beds as summer approaches. 

Careful management of the space has allowed low-growing plants such as clover and violets to flourish in shorter grass around the edge and we hope that you will enjoy the photos to see how the space is developing. 

The residents association would like to thank Horley Town Council for the recent funding (of £100, secured in Feb 2026) to buy and plant more cowslips and narcissus. 

If you want to learn more, or want to find out how you can donate seeds/bulbs or volunteer, please get in touch with the secretary of the group, Sam Mearing Mrs.mearing@gmail.com. 

Summary of 2025 bulb planting/seed sowing:
100 snowdrops
60 camassia
200 + narcissus 
60 alliums
60 crocus
250g yellow rattle
20 + packets of donated seeds (wildflower and annuals).

(Photos are of new beds and don’t include images of beds already established).

• Scrunch clean foil into a ball no smaller than a tennis ball.  
• Clean foil trays.  
• Empty aerosol cans.  
• Empty squeezy metal and plastic tubes, such as toothpaste and tomato puree tubes.  
• Clean non-black plastic plant pots.  
• Empty, rinse and, if possible, remove lids of Tetra Pak cartons such as juice and soup cartons.  

 
By recycling, you’re helping to reduce waste, increase recycling rates and protect our environment. And don’t forget, Surrey’s recycling rate is the joint second highest of comparable areas in England!  

The new items are being added as part of the national Simpler Recycling changes, which aim to make recycling more consistent across the country.   

If you want to know which bin to put virtually any item you can think of in, use the Surrey Recycles search tool. Just enter your postcode then an item and the tool tells you what to do with it.

Half-Price Bus Travel for Young People 

Young people living in Surrey can save money on bus travel thanks to the free Surrey LINK card, which offers 50% off adult fares on eligible bus journeys across the county.

Available to residents aged 20 and under, the card can be used on any single or return bus journey that starts and/or finishes in Surrey. In most cases, the discount means young passengers pay the equivalent of a child fare, helping make travel to school, college, work, and social activities more affordable.

The LINK card is free to apply for, although a £10 administration fee applies if a card needs to be replaced due to loss, theft, or damage.

Who can apply?

To be eligible, applicants must:

• Be aged 20 or under (applications can be made up to 28 days before turning 21)
• Live in Surrey
• Use a bus journey that starts and/or ends in Surrey

Children under 16 will need a parent, guardian or carer to apply on their behalf. Cards for under-16s are valid for up to three years or until their 16th birthday. Young people aged 16 and over can apply themselves, and their card will remain valid until the day before their 21st birthday.

Lower fares through the national bus fare cap

Following changes to the national bus fare cap, participating services now offer a maximum £1.50 single fare for LINK card holders when the card is shown. On services outside the scheme, the card continues to provide 50% off the adult fare, ensuring young people still receive the best available discount.

Important to know

The LINK card cannot be used on bus services operated by Transport for London, and discounts do not apply to child fares or season tickets.

How to apply

Applying is simple and can be done online. Applicants will need basic details such as their date of birth, address, and a passport-style photo. Successful applicants should receive their card within 10 working days.

For many young residents and families, the Surrey LINK card offers a simple way to make everyday travel more affordable while encouraging greater use of public transport.

For more information and to apply - Apply for a Surrey LINK bus card - Surrey County Council

Have you every wondered who is doing roadworks or when they might next pop up on your route to work? The OneNetwork interactive map shows all planned in roadworks. Access is open to all by clicking on this link

If you need to report a roads issue such as potholes or streetlights you can do so here