Green light for creation of new parish councils in Reigate & Banstead

This decision allows legal and practical preparations for the new and amended parish arrangements to be in place for Vesting Day on 1 April 2027, which is also the day that the new East Surrey Council will take over delivering services from the county, district and borough councils in the area.  

Elections for the new and existing parish councils will take place on 6 May 2027. East Surrey Councillors with wards that include the new parished areas will represent them as transitional councillors from 1 April 2027 until the newly elected parish councillors can take up their posts on 10 May 2027.

The Leader of Reigate & Banstead Borough Council, Cllr Richard Biggs, said: “I'm pleased that East Surrey has agreed with our recommendations and I’m confident that these new and amended parish councils will give our communities a strong voice in the years to come, which is particularly relevant in light of local government reorganisation. Making sure local identities and interests are represented in the most suitable ways was a key consideration in our community governance review.”

The final recommendations, following the 2025-2026 consultation that was overseen by a cross-party working group of councillors, will see the whole of the Reigate & Banstead area represented by parish councils, which can also be named town or village councils. Three new councils will be created – Redhill Town Council, Reigate Town Council, and Banstead and The Villages Council – and minor changes made to Horley Town Council. There will be no changes to the existing Salfords and Sidlow Parish Council.

Leader of East Surrey Shadow Authority, Cllr Steve Wotton, said: “The 1 April 2027 will be a significant moment for local democracy across Surrey and it’s good news that we can align changes to parish arrangements in Reigate & Banstead with this timeline. Supporting strong and engaged local communities is fundamental to successful local government and I look forward to working with parish councils next year.”

What happens next?

The necessary legal instruments (known as ‘Orders’) to implement the new parish arrangements have been drafted and can now be signed. These Orders enable the new arrangements to be in place for 1 April 2027.

A polling place and district review to realign polling districts and polling places with the new parish warding arrangements, is also underway and Reigate & Banstead Borough Council expect to publish the revised register on 1 December 2026 in readiness for town and parish council elections in May 2027.

In the period after Vesting Day and before new parish councillors are elected, East Surrey Councillors representing the relevant areas will also provide interim representation for the new parish or town councils.

The cost of parish councils

Parish councils can vary in size and function and they are funded through a separate annual charge, or ‘precept’, which is collected alongside council tax. For existing town and parish councils in Reigate & Banstead, which have varying functions, the annual charge for a Band D property in 2025/6 is £57.31 in Horley Town Council and £34.83 in Salfords & Sidlow Parish Council.

The creation of the new councils will involve the basic functions of a parish council plus responsibility for any statutory allotments in their areas. The initial estimate of the potential annual precept for a Band D property in the newly established parishes is between £15 and £30, depending on the number of households or electors in each area.

Should the parish councils wish to take on additional responsibilities beyond year 1, this will be a matter for discussion and agreement with East Surrey Council.

You can read the full report for the East Surrey Shadow Authority Executive, 14 September 2026, here.