Reigate & Banstead 2030

“A thriving community is one with healthy, happy residents, a strong local economy, and clean, green and pleasant public spaces”

The first theme of the plan is 'Enabling our communities to thrive'. The theme includes four priorities: Great places to live and work; Leisure, culture and community; Waste, recycling and cleansing; and Connecting with people. This page provides a summary of the theme's priorities and objectives.

Priority 1.1: Great places to live and work

This priority includes five objectives to help make the borough a great place.

Towns and villages that serve our local communities

To ensure quality of life and make sure essential services are available, we will:

• Ensure that town centres are attractive, save and easy for everyone to access
• Make sure towns and villages have the necessary services and facilities to meet the needs of those that use them
• Promote sustainable transport options within the borough, working with Surrey County Council on walking and cycling paths, co-ordinating with bus service providers, and providing car parking and electric vehicle charging points
• Use the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and other funding from developers towards new infrastructure

Safe communities and tackling antisocial behaviour

To create a safer and more secure environment for all, we will:

• Work with the Reigate & Banstead Community Safety Partnership to improve the safety of residents 
• Identify and address the root causes of antisocial behaviour
• Ensure effective health and safety regulation to protect those working within the borough
• Enforce regulations to protect public safety, including food safety, public spaces, housing standards, events, and the licensing of taxis, businesses and other premises

A place to invest and do business

To promote economic growth and support local companies, we will:

• Partner with local business organisations to promote the local area, attract new investment and strengthen key business sectors
• Actively work with businesses to encourage networking and build a supportive business environment
• Share good practice and celebrate the success of local businesses

Thriving local business and employment opportunities 

To strengthen the economy and help residents access jobs, we will:

• Offer grant funding and skills training for new and developing small businesses
• Support local business networking and experience sharing
• Work with employers and educators to understand skills needs, provide training, and help residents access information about employment opportunities
• Promote good practice and local regulation so residents can be confident in using local businesses

Well-planned sustainable development and infrastructure

To make sure new development contributes positively to our borough, we will:

• Keep our Local Plan up to date and make sure it complies with planning laws and policy, while also reflecting local needs
• Provide a high quality planning services to deal with planning applications, enforcement, land charges and building control
• Ensure new developments meet infrastructure and public benefit obligations
• Publish a clear development strategy to shape future Council-led development schemes

Priority 1.2: Leisure, culture and community

This priority includes three objectives to support the physical and mental wellbeing of residents and help them to enjoy the borough.

Strong, inclusive communities

To support residents to feel part of the local area, we will:

• Provide services and activities for all at our community centres
• Help communities to build on their strengths by working with local groups, so people can support themselves and make a positive impact where they live
• Maintain strong relationships with partner organisations including other local authorities, the local NHS, housing associations, Surrey Police and local voluntary, community and faith groups

Leisure, sports and cultural services that  support wellbeing

To help residents stay both physically and mentally healthy we will:

• Focus on providing accessible and financially sustainable services, including by working with partners
• Provide sports and leisure facilities and activities for residents across all parts of the borough
• Provide arts and cultural activities for residents across all parts of the borough, and support both commercial and community-led opportunities.

Green spaces that deliver health, recreation and nature benefits

Recognising the multiple benefits that green space brings, we will:

• Maintain and improve our parks, allotments, sports and recreation facilities to meet residents’ needs
• Preserve the borough’s commons, countryside and other natural spaces, working with local partners to protect local open space, and enhance nature.
• Keep Council greenspaces safe, clean and tidy, and without litter, mess, pollution and anti-social behaviour

Priority 1.3: Waste, recycling and cleansing

This priority includes two objectives to keep the borough clean and benefit the local environment.

High quality waste, recycling and cleansing services

To meet national requirements and local expectations, we will:

• Maintain regular and reliable waste and recycling collections
• Keep roads clear of litter and debris
• Keep public spaces clean and tidy, and respond to reported issues in a timely way
• Work to offer a full recycling service to all homes

Sustainable neighbourhood services

To achieve financial and environmental targets, we will:

• Buy and use low carbon vehicles where these meet operational needs
• Make upgrades to the Earlswood Depot to support the use of low-carbon vehicles and ensure reliable services into the future
• Provide efficient paid-for services, such as garden waste collection, that help fund the cost of service delivery

Priority 1.4: Connecting with people

This priority includes three objectives to work with and understand the needs of our residents.

Communication that is accessible to all

To ensure everyone can access the information we provide we will:

• Use digital and non-digital communications methods
• Provide a user-friendly website that meets accessibility standards
• Make the information we provide clear and easy to understand

The opportunity to shape and influence our services

To understand what people want from the Council, we will:

• Develop opportunities for people to participate in service planning
• Make sure staff are able to engage and consult effectively
• Gather regular feedback from residents on services and priorities

Listening and learning from feedback

Recognising that we will not always get things right, we will:

• Gather ideas and input from partners, communities and service users
• Respond to – and learn from – complaints that we receive
• Publish ‘you said, we did’ updates on our website for every consultation that we conduct