Councillor Nick Harrison has authored a short article outlining the case for adopting a new level of local government.
Following on from the Government’s consultation about merging the borough and county councils to form an East Surrey Council, Reigate & Banstead has started its own consultation on whether we should have parish or town councils in our area.
A town or parish council (sometimes known as a local council) is the lowest level of council in England, operating under and within a borough area. Most of rural England and the whole south of Surrey have parish or town councils – some 85 in total.
All the Parish and Town Councils in Surrey belong to the Surrey Association of Local Councils
A town council operates at the same level as a parish council, with exactly the same powers and elected volunteer, unpaid councillors, except only town councils may have a ceremonial mayor. Town councils, as the name implies, cover a larger and more urban area.
In our borough we have Horley Town Council which serves 22,000 residents, about the same population as Banstead. We also have Salfords & Sidlow Parish Council between Reigate / Redhill and Horley which serves 3,000 residents. To correct a possible misconception, a parish council is a civil council and has no connection with the local church.
Besides Reigate & Banstead, Epsom & Ewell and Mole Valley (fellow members of the new East Surrey Council) are also looking at the possibility of town and parish councils.
Why a Town or Parish Council in Banstead?
The new East Surrey Council will cover a vast area and population, with many fewer councillors, and new council staff unfamiliar with local issues. A town or parish council could fill in the gap, giving a better sense of place and community, promoting local interests, and giving the community a voice for concerns which may get lost in the new unitary council.
We could see the land, buildings and resources used by our community absorbed into the new unitary council and sold off to meet liabilities elsewhere. A town or parish council could be part of the solution.
A new town or parish council could be important in development and planning applications, ensuring focus is given to the new grey belt designation of our countryside. It could make well thought through representations to the new planning department as the powers of individual councillors on planning committees are expected to reduce, and in an environment where housing targets are being more than doubled.
A town or parish council has a statutory right to 15% of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) charged on all new development. This “Local CIL” could be used to pay for local initiatives.
Of course, all this has to be paid for, and any additional council tax levy would have to be very carefully considered. In Horley there is a refund agreement with Reigate & Banstead to pay for some services, avoiding double taxation. It should be borne in mind that in areas of the country which are “parished”, it is this most local level of local government which is most highly regarded.
Timetable
Mid July: Preliminary kick-off public meetings/briefings around the borough
24 July – 18 Sept: Initial submissions from community groups etc. are invited
19 Sept – 6 Nov: Assessment of submissions – draft recommendations prepared.
7 Nov – 16 Jan: Consultation with public on proposals
19 Jan – 16 Mar: Consultation responses considered and final recommendations made.
26 March 2026: Final recommendations published.
April – May 2026: Resolution on Reorganisation Order
6 May 2027: Possible Town or Parish Council elections