Local people to be asked for views on town and parish councils in Reigate & Banstead

For those areas of the borough already served by a parish or town council, this review will consider whether the existing arrangements continue to be appropriate or if they should be updated. For other areas, the review will consider whether local communities would be better served by having a parish or town council.

Leader of Reigate & Banstead Borough Council, Cllr Richard Biggs, says: “Parish and town councils can play an important role in providing local services and empowering communities. We want to make sure the existing governance arrangements across the borough continue to be robust and representative.

“By undertaking this review now residents and community groups will have the opportunity to consider parish and town councils in light of the local government reorganisation, which will see the existing two-tier arrangement of district and borough councils and Surrey County Council replaced with new unitary authorities on 1 April 2027.

“It’s important local people have a say on how their interests and identities are reflected, so wherever you live in the borough, we will want to hear your views once the consultation begins on 24 July.”

About parish and town councils

Parish and town councils (also known as ‘local councils’) are elected bodies made up of local people representing the interests of their communities, usually unpaid. They can vary in size and function but typically they represent the community voice, for example as a statutory consultee on planning matters, they may manage some local services, such as allotments or parks, and seek to improve quality of life in the area.

Reigate & Banstead Borough currently has two local councils, Horley Town Council and Salfords & Sidlow Parish Council, which set their own budget requirements and are funded through a separate charge, or ‘precept’, which is collected alongside Council Tax. Currently the precept for a Band D property is £55.21 in Horley and £33.06 in Salfords & Sidlow. 

The Community Governance Review

The Community Governance Review will be a legal process giving residents and local organisations an opportunity to share their views. Good practice suggests that one is carried out every 10 to 15 years and there has been no full review in Reigate & Banstead during this period.

The first phase of consultation is due to commence on 24 July, following evidence gathering and a series of public meetings to inform stakeholders. Final recommendations are expected to be made to Full Council in March 2026.

More information about the review, and details of the consultation as they become available, can be found on our Community Governance Review web pages. 

Details of the Full Council meeting on 18 June 2025 are here.