Public Consultation to help shape 2026/27 budget launches today

This will be the budget for our last year in operation, given that the borough of Reigate & Banstead will become part of a larger East Surrey Council from April 2027.

We invite residents, businesses and partners to give us their views before the consultation ends at 12 noon Monday 12 January 2026.

Financial challenges but an ongoing commitment to delivering local services

The Council has a strong track record of financial management and provides over 50 different services to our 159,000 residents. This includes everything from waste & recycling collections, street cleaning and homelessness services to business support and community safety.

We need to budget carefully each year, to balance the financial pressures and service demands we face with our commitment to support residents and the borough.

At its meeting on 13 November, the Council’s Executive approved a draft 2026/27 budget for public consultation.

No increase to Reigate & Banstead element of Council Tax

As part of this draft budget, we are proposing freezing the amount of Council Tax we collect to help minimise costs for residents. Reigate & Banstead accounts for around 10% of a resident’s overall Council Tax bill; we anticipate that Surrey County Council and Surrey Police will increase the 90% for which they are responsible.

The draft budget also proposes some savings (including from contracts that are no longer needed, changing the way some staff posts are funded and ending publication of the Borough News magazine); and changes to the fees and charges that the Council collects (including increasing the price of optional garden waste collections to cover service cost increases in recent years).

Thanks to the Council’s robust financial position, we are able to draw on £0.7m of reserves to fund a shortfall in Housing Benefit Subsidy revenue from Central Government, whilst we await more information on the Government’s funding settlement for next year.

Your chance to help inform the final budget

Portfolio Holder for Finance, Assets, and Governance, Cllr Ben Green, says: “I am extremely proud to bring forward a balanced draft budget that maintains all of the services we provide to residents, including non-statutory services, without increasing our share of Council Tax. We will be joininga club of just 5% of Borough and District Councils who did not increase Council Tax last year.

“Although our contribution as a Borough Council to a resident’s overall Council Tax is small – around 10% of their total bill, compared to Surrey’s 90% - by taking this step we demonstrate that it is possible to deliver high quality services without continually raising the tax burden on residents.

“I am hopeful that this budget will be a positive legacy that the new East Surrey Unitary Authority will take the opportunity to build upon.

“We are keen to hear what you think about our proposals – let us know if you think we are striking the right balance, or if you think we should take a different approach. Your responses will help inform the final Council budget for 2026/27, which will be agreed at a meeting of the Full Council in February 2026.”

The draft budget projects budget requirements of £23.018 million which includes net savings of £1.915 million, additional spending of £0.793 million, and the use of £0.683 million of reserves.

How to have your say

The draft budget consultation will run from Monday 17 November 2025 to 12 noon on Monday 12 January 2026.

You can comment by:

• Completing our online survey at www.reigate-banstead.gov.uk/budget-consultation 
• Emailing us at engagement@reigate-banstead.gov.uk
• Writing to us at: Budget, Freepost RBBC Consultations (no address needed)

You can view the relevant documents and supporting information via the Consultation web page www.reigate-banstead.gov.uk/budget-consultation.

Some of our fees and charges, such as car park charges, require a separate statutory consultation. Where required, these separate consultations will be undertaken before any relevant changes are implemented and will be available on our website.