“What’s in a logo?” That which we call East Surrey
13 October 2026
The new East Surrey council’s logo has been unveiled to the public in the latest big step towards the authority’s creation next spring.
With just under six months to go until Surrey County Council and the county’s 11 district councils are abolished, the two new unitary authorities that will replace them are beginning to take shape.
The East Surrey logo, which will accompany all official documents and communications for the new council, was crafted following a consultation with residents about what makes the area special.
It features five shapes that are designed to represent the five boroughs merging to form the new council – which are Elmbridge, Epsom & Ewell, Mole Valley, Reigate & Banstead and Tandridge.
“The logo tells the story of East Surrey,” council leader Steve Wotton (Liberal Democrats: Horley West, Salfords & Sidlow) explained.
“The five interconnected shapes represent the five areas coming together to create one new council, while reflecting the rivers, countryside and landscapes that connect our communities.
“Just as importantly, it symbolises the relationships between people, places and services that will help make East Surrey Council a strong and connected organisation.”
An East Surrey spokesperson stressed that the logo was designed in-house at no additional cost to taxpayers.
The consultation that led to the design drew more than 2,000 responses among residents, with community, countryside, waterways, and heritage emerging as the strongest themes defining East Surrey.
It was the area’s landscape, rivers and countryside that inspired the colour palette featured on the logo.
Councillor Wotton added: “I would like to thank everyone who took the time to share their views and ideas.
“This new identity has been shaped by the people and communities it will serve and reflects the pride people feel in East Surrey.
“My thanks also to our talented in-house designers who have created the new brand using their skills, creativity and local knowledge, making best use of existing resources, without additional cost to taxpayers.”
East Surrey shadow authority’s cabinet has agreed to a phased introduction of the new brand, meaning that existing signage and vehicles bearing the old county and district council logos will not immediately be replaced or repainted.
Instead, they will only be changed to feature the new East Surrey logo as and when they need to be renovated in a bid to save on unnecessary costs.
The logo for the new West Surrey council will be decided in the coming weeks, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) understands.
East and West Surrey councils will formally take over the reins of local government from April 2027, at which point they will be responsible for all services in their respective areas.
Under the current system, this responsibility is split between the county council and various district councils, with Surrey County Council managing services such as education and highways while the districts take care of council tax and planning applications.
Although the government has paused local government restructure for many other similar “two-tier” councils across England, it is still going ahead in Surrey as the process is too far down the line.
Surrey Council leader urges an elected Mayoral office for the County
13 October 2026
The outgoing leader of Surrey County Council has warned Surrey risks being “left behind” if the county does not adopt an elected mayor in the near future.
Councillor Tim Oliver (Conservative: Weybridge) urged the incoming East and West Surrey councils to lean into Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s devolution agenda that could see the creation of an overarching mayor for the county.
The two new unitary councils will assume all local government responsibilities from April 2027, and are aiming to pool their resources on key issues through a framework called a foundation strategic authority (FSA).
An FSA can also serve as a stepping stone towards the creation of a mayoral combined authority – such as those seen in Greater Manchester, the West Midlands and the Tees Valley.
Speaking at a Surrey County Council meeting, Councillor Oliver said: “[The FSA] will enable the two councils to work together over a strategic footprint, capitalising on the government’s devolution agenda and take Surrey’s local economy from strength to strength.”
He added: “Surrey needs to grab this opportunity with both hands, and I hope the leadership of East and West Surrey go full throttle in working with government to deliver it – including backing a mayor for Surrey in 2028.”
Andy Burnham, who served as Greater Manchester mayor for nearly a decade before becoming Prime Minister, has vowed to make devolution of power to England’s regions a defining mission of his government.
Shortly after entering Downing Street, Mr Burnham pledged to give regional mayors a share of income tax receipts, as well as granting strategic authorities more control over business rates revenue.
Councillor Oliver said: “No one can be oblivious to the Prime Minister’s mission to create mayors across the country with wide ranging strategic powers and access to funding that simply won’t be available to non-mayoral areas.”
He further warned: “Without a mayor, there is a very real risk that Surrey will be left behind.”
It comes as East and West Surrey shadow authorities prepare the groundwork for the handover of local government power from the county council next spring.
These shadow councils were elected in May, and are tasked with setting up the new authorities in time for vesting day – including setting the new councils’ budgets for the coming year.
But Councillor Oliver cautioned that the financial picture for the new councils remains tricky amid changes to government funding and increased demand for services.
He said: “There will be huge challenges ahead as a result of the government’s Fair Funding Review, which will cost Surrey dearly as money is diverted to other areas of the country instead.”
The government’s Fair Funding Review is designed to recalibrate the money each council receives based on factors including population and deprivation, but Surrey is estimated to lose out as a result.
A ministerial foreword to the Fair Funding Review says: “This government is prepared to take the tough choices to improve services for the working people of Britain – with a balanced approach that protects all local authorities but ensures funding is truly based on need.”
The next round of council budgets will be set by the West and East Surrey shadow authorities ahead of the handover in April.
But speaking at today’s meeting, Councillor Oliver warned: “We know a council tax increase will be necessary, but it won’t be enough to make up for the shortfall in funding imposed by this government.
“Tough decisions and innovative transformation will be needed.”
However, he praised the legacy that Surrey County Council is leaving for the new authorities, saying: “We can be proud that we are handing over an organisation that has been managed well – with robust reserves and perfectly manageable levels of debt.”
Limits on AI use? County Council confronts the challenge
13 October 2026
Surrey councillors and officers could soon be barred from using online AI tools such as Gemini and ChatGPT under new rules around the burgeoning tech’s use.
A Surrey County Council AI policy has been put forward, which aims to set out when it is appropriate and inappropriate to use artificial intelligence for council business.
The draft document, which was reviewed by a council committee ahead of final approval, demands that AI users must only utilise approved tools and softwares for council business.
Gemini and ChatGPT are explicitly listed as examples of tools accessed directly via the internet – which would not be permitted under the new regulations.
The new policy comes following a motion from October 2025 that called on Surrey County Council to present an AI policy in response to the technology’s rapidly growing use.
While guidance on its use already existed for the council’s members and officers, this is the authority’s first formal policy on the matter.
Other inappropriate uses of AI listed include using it to make decisions that affect people “without human oversight” and generating false or misleading information.
It also prohibits the use of AI that results in discrimination on the basis of protected characteristics, breaching data protection or unlawfully accessing sensitive information.
The policy says: “Where AI is used for general business purposes, users must use Microsoft Copilot Chat or Copilot 365 (or other SCC-authorised tools) rather than consumer tools such as Gemini or ChatGPT, due to data-security concerns.
“Approved tools have been risk-assessed and have existing SCC guardrails and oversight.”
The council instead says assistance with “routine administrative tasks” is an example of where AI can be used within the rules – such as summarising reports and scheduling meetings.
It also says the tech can be used to generate meeting minutes so long as they are clearly labelled as AI-assisted.
Summarising public consultation responses and improving workflow efficiency are also on the list of approved uses.
Breaches of the rules set out in this policy would be treated as misconduct, according to the document, which could result in disciplinary action for employees or other contractual consequences for agency workers and contractors.
Surrey County Council’s resources and performance select committee put forward recommendations around the policy – including that it be shared with the future West and East Surrey council, which will take over responsibility in April 2027.
The recommendations also called for strengthening the policy around training for the tech’s use and considering AI’s environmental impact.
If adopted, the policy would be reviewed on an annual basis – or sooner if required, such as if it needed to be brought in line with any prospective national laws or regulations.
Last October’s motion, proposed by Councillor Jonathan Essex (Green Party: Redhill East) called for transparency about where AI is used and for awareness as to the energy and environmental impact of the technology.
“The energy use and wider environmental footprint associated with server farm capacity used by AI is significant,” the motion reads.
The policy is expected to be discussed and finalised by Surrey County Council’s cabinet following the committee’s recommendations.
Surrey’s gritter drivers are now available 24/7 to help keep residents moving during the colder months.
38 state-of-the-art gritting vehicles typically travel over 1,775 miles of the county’s busiest routes before and during severe weather, using the 10,000 tonnes of salt stored at four Surrey depots.
Two mini gritters are also on standby to grit roads that are harder to access with larger vehicles. 1,700 grit bins have also been filled across the county at locations that are not on the priority gritting routes but may have:
difficult road junctions
slopes
acute bends
a large numbers of pedestrians.
Winter arrangements typically begin in October and run until the end of March although this period can be extended depending on weather conditions.
Matt Furniss, Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth said, “We’re committed to keeping drivers and our local communities safe and connected here in Surrey and investing in our roads.
“When temperatures plummet, our gritter drivers across the county are ready and prepared to work around the clock to keep traffic moving on our busiest routes.
“Our Immediate Response Centre will also continue to support communities 24/7 and we will work closely with the Met Office to monitor weather conditions throughout the season.”
Residents can report highways issues at tellus.surreycc.gov.uk. More information about gritting is available here.
Cards and casualties consign Sutton & Epsom to defeat
13 October 2026
Medway 24 Sutton & Epsom 7 Saturday 10th October
Sutton & Epsom have only had three league visits to Priestfields. The first encounter in 2016 saw an Andy Matthews hat-trick secure promotion for the Black & Whites from the old London One South. On their last trip, Sutton & Epsom had an abundant advantage of 26 points overhauled by a marauding Medway team.
Last season the hosts were most unfortunate to be relegated on points difference from Level 5 and are naturally looking for a return to Regional 1 at the earliest possible opportunity.
With both clubs enjoying a perfect start to the new campaign, garnering maximum points, it was all set to be a fair measure of both sides’ credentials for the season to come. Medway’s 24-7 triumph maintained their perfect record.
Sutton & Epsom played with the slope in the first period and opened their account in the third minute. A dazzling break, synonymous with Adam Bibby’s play, jinked through the defence and hooker Sam Lennie was in support to cross the whitewash. Freddy Bunting slotted over the conversion for a most encouraging 7-0 score for the visitors.
Unfortunately for Sutton & Epsom it became a case of one step forward and two or three back as they accumulated penalties for multiple offences.
On the quarter-hour Medway equalised. After sustained pressure, powerful lock Peter Cole, stationed on the touchline, received the ball a few metres out and forced his way over before running around to improve the angle for the conversion. A grateful Owen Church-Mills obliged and made it 7-7.
Soon after the restart Sutton & Epsom lost Angus Findlay to a yellow card as the weight of penalties became too much for the referee to bear. Reduced to 14 men, Medway took advantage with a sweeping attack.
Then, to the dismay of the travelling Rugby Lane supporters, Freddy Bunting was given a yellow card for a no-arms tackle in the corner. Sutton & Epsom were now very much unlucky 13.
The Priestfields crowd were soon applauding the lead. The Men of Kent – or Kentish Men, depending on their geographical disposition – scored through a driving maul as lock Peter Cole collected his second try of the afternoon. Owen Church-Mills added another conversion for 14-7.
Rather than meekly folding in adversity, Sutton & Epsom stiffened their resolve and took the attack to Medway. There was to be no fairytale ending as they were halted on the line. It was to the visitors’ considerable credit that they did not concede another point while suffering their numerical deficiencies.
Then, just when the Black & Whites thought they could return to normal, they lost full-back Michael Bennion to an ankle injury. Joe Lovatt came off the bench to play at scrum-half as Sutton & Epsom amended the back division, with Euan Findlay switching to 15.
The remainder of the half continued as powerful tackling subdued attacking intent. For Sutton & Epsom, Tipene Maxwell made his first start in his familiar position at 12 and reminded supporters of yesteryear of James Faaatuatu, whose bone-shaking tackling enlivened Rugby Lane ten years ago.
The first period ended with Medway leading 14-7 and all the players grateful for a breather after a very physical half.
The crowd at Priestfields were witnessing the type of match one would anticipate from two unbeaten teams. With the home team having the advantage of the slope for the second half they were marginal favourites, but Sutton & Epsom had shown enough attacking intent to keep the match in the balance.
The start of the second half reflected the closeness of the contest and was patchy as both sides battled for supremacy. Sutton & Epsom were perhaps guilty of trying to force plays, but that was the result of the parsimonious Medway defence, which robustly stood its ground.
The third quarter proved to be a stop-start affair that ended with more misfortune for the visitors. Joe Lovatt was forced from the field having suffered a broken nose. This was most untimely for the scrum-half as he is about to get married.
Once more the coaches scratched their heads to reorganise their backs. It was not quite shuffling deckchairs on the Titanic, as Josh Rea has often slipped into the backs, but the situation was far from ideal. Pete Gordon came off the bench to play in the back row.
With 15 minutes left on the clock, the Kent club got some breathing space with their third try of the afternoon. Gaining possession from a loose ball near halfway after a Sutton & Epsom scrum, they progressed to the Black & White 22.
Following several phases, the ball came to John Sipawa and the prolific wing scored in his trademark style. Though the conversion failed, the hosts had a two-score advantage, leading 19-7.
If onlookers thought that might have knocked the stuffing out of the visitors they were very much mistaken, as Sutton & Epsom took the game to their opponents.
The Black & Whites threw themselves into attack mode as they went in search of points. They could not translate possession, territory and phases into points. Each half-break urged on by their supporters was met by scrambling cover. Greater risks were being taken in order to find a solution.
It was met with a cruel final nail in the coffin in added time. Pressing in the Medway 22, winger Perry Macauley picked off a pass and set off for glory. As the cover came and, 35 metres out, he weaved to avoid the tacklers and spotted support to his right.
Impressively, it was the mountainous figure of Peter Cole who set off after the kick ahead. He was rewarded for his heroic support run as he reached the ball first to complete his hat-trick – a rare accomplishment for a lock forward – as Medway led 24-7.
It is always a pleasure to see one of the engine room of the pack, the perennial unsung heroes, have their moment in the spotlight.
Shortly afterwards the final whistle concluded this hard-fought encounter. The Black & Whites were rather more black and blue, but in defeat they should find a great deal of solace in their spirit, unity to the cause and resilience in adversity.
Medway remain unbeaten with maximum points, with only Beckenham ahead of them in the table. The hosts’ defence was tireless while Peter Cole gained the plaudits.
Finally, a special note of thanks to Gareth O’Brien who, despite being a late injury withdrawal, demonstrated the qualities of the “good club man”. He not only travelled to the game but also took on the commentary duties as “Junior JC”.
Next Saturday the Black & Whites’ charabanc heads to the Warman Sports Club. Without the pitch priority given over to the cricketers, as was the case last season, they will play Bromley on their main pitch.
The Kent club have started the campaign with wins over the Ironsides, Dartfordians and Hammersmith & Fulham to sit fourth in the table, compared with Sutton & Epsom’s fifth position.
Sutton & Epsom: Bennion, Scott, Bibby, Maxwell, Findlay A, Bunting, Findlay E, Johnson, Lennie, Boaden, McTaggart, Glanville, Rea, Jones & Hegarty (c). Reps: Duey, Gordon & Lovatt.
Homelessness pressures remain a costly challenge for Epsom and Ewell
13 October 2026
Epsom and Ewell Borough Council is expecting its spending on temporary accommodation to significantly exceed its 2026/27 budget as councillors heard that homelessness remains one of the authority’s biggest financial pressures.
The Council’s Community and Wellbeing Committee, meeting on 6th October, unanimously noted measures being taken to contain the costs and agreed that government homelessness funding, newly announced rough-sleeping funding and a 4% inflationary increase in the nightly-paid accommodation budget would be used to meet the additional expenditure.
The Council’s report says it continues to incur “significant financial outlay” in meeting its duties under the Housing Act 1996 and Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, with expenditure expected significantly to exceed the budget set for the current financial year.
Introducing the discussion, committee chairman Cllr Clive Woodbridge (Residents’ Association, Ewell Village) described homelessness as “one of the biggest problems facing the council at the present time”.
Strategic Housing Manager Arjan de Jong told councillors that high living costs, rising rents and limited access to affordable housing continued to create “significant headwinds”.
He said the Council was placing increasing emphasis on preventing homelessness before temporary accommodation became necessary, helping households into the private rented sector and moving people out of temporary accommodation more quickly.
The authority is also expanding its private-sector leasing arrangements and has delivered accommodation through the Government-backed Local Authority Housing Fund.
Mr de Jong said work was already under way with neighbouring councils on a joint homelessness action plan for the new East Surrey authority which takes over from Epsom and Ewell Borough Council next April.
Homeless approaches up sharply
Cllr Woodbridge told the meeting that approaches to the housing service had increased by around 80% over the previous two years, but argued that the increase had not translated into anything approaching the same rise in placements or expenditure because of the work undertaken by housing officers.
He said the financial pressure would have been “a lot worse” without the team’s efforts.
That reflects figures reported earlier this summer showing that homelessness applications rose by 82.6% during 2025/26 to 623. Epsom & Ewell Times reported in July that the Council had recorded a £410,000 adverse budget variance for that year, driven principally by temporary accommodation costs.
The underlying difficulty is not new. In 2023/24 the Council spent £1.665 million on nightly-paid accommodation. At that time more than 90 households were being accommodated in expensive nightly-paid properties outside the borough because there was insufficient temporary housing locally.
Section 21 evictions falling
Cllr Rob Geleit (Labour, Court) asked whether the Renters’ Rights Act was already affecting homelessness.
Mr de Jong said there had been an increase in approaches before the legislation took effect, which officers believed was partly caused by landlords leaving the market.
Since then, however, there had been “a significant, significant drop off” in approaches resulting from private landlords ending tenancies through no-fault or Section 21 evictions.
At this early stage, he said, “the intention of the Act looks like it’s having the intended consequences”.
The other main pressures were households being asked to leave accommodation provided by family or friends and people fleeing violence.
Preventing homelessness before placement
Cllr Christine Howells (Independent, Nonsuch) questioned what happened when somebody presented as homeless and whether accommodation was provided immediately.
Mr de Jong explained that an emergency out-of-hours placement could be made for one night, after which the person would undergo a full assessment.
During office hours, officers would first seek to prevent homelessness — potentially by talking to landlords or relatives, looking at whether short-term accommodation could be maintained, or helping the applicant secure somewhere in the private rented sector through schemes such as the Council’s rent deposit programme.
Only where those avenues failed would the case move towards a formal homelessness application and assessment of the statutory tests.
People placed while their case was investigated could remain accommodated while exercising rights of review against an adverse decision.
The Council also works with the East Surrey Outreach Service on rough sleeping, while members of the public concerned about somebody sleeping rough can report the case through StreetLink.
Extra staff seek cheaper alternatives
The Council has bolstered its relatively small housing team.
A rent-deposit role has been refocused as a rent-deposit and move-on post, tasked particularly with finding private landlords willing to house households currently in temporary accommodation.
Another officer is concentrating on hospital discharges, where relatively small numbers of cases can nevertheless consume significant resources because of the need to coordinate physical health, mental health, care and housing services.
An additional move-on post is specifically concentrating on households in nightly-paid accommodation — the most expensive form used by the Council.
Mr de Jong said affordable housing was so scarce that households could otherwise remain in temporary accommodation for “a considerable amount of time”.
Prison releases and violence
Cllr Phil Neale (Residents’ Association, Cuddington) asked whether the early release of prisoners was likely to add to homelessness pressures.
Mr de Jong said no effect had been identified at that stage. He added that probation and other statutory agencies have a “Duty to Refer” someone threatened with homelessness to the relevant council rather than simply leaving an individual to seek help after release.
Cllr Rachel King (Residents’ Association, Town) also asked about people fleeing violence.
Mr de Jong stressed that this was not limited to violence against women and girls or domestic abuse and could include gang-related violence.
People fleeing violence may apply to a council outside the area in which they normally live. He said Epsom’s proximity to London might consequently result in people approaching the borough from elsewhere.
Officers would take account of the location of alleged perpetrators or their associates when deciding where it was safe to accommodate someone.
East Surrey changes the map
The discussion also provided a glimpse of how homelessness administration could change when Epsom and Ewell Borough Council disappears next April.
Cllr Woodbridge asked what would happen to the concept of a local connection once East Surrey became the housing authority.
Mr de Jong said housing-allocation policies could continue separately for up to two years while the predecessor councils’ systems were aligned.
Homelessness law would operate differently: from vesting day, the authority to which somebody applied would be East Surrey rather than Epsom and Ewell.
That could also produce savings. The larger authority might have temporary accommodation available elsewhere within East Surrey which Epsom and Ewell does not currently use and which could be cheaper than nightly-paid placements sourced outside the borough.
Mr de Jong cautioned that the details remained “a work in progress”.
Government support
The financial pressures are not being met by council taxpayers alone.
For 2026/27 the Government has consolidated several previous funding streams into its Homelessness, Rough Sleeping and Domestic Abuse Grant. Nationally, almost £885 million is being distributed under the scheme, with £529,219 allocated specifically to Epsom and Ewell.
The grant combines former homelessness prevention, rough sleeping and domestic abuse funding and also contains money associated with the homelessness consequences of the Renters’ Rights Act.
Its purpose includes helping councils discharge their statutory homelessness duties, fund prevention work and staffing, and reduce rough sleeping. Government rules generally restrict its use for the direct ongoing cost of temporary accommodation, although transitional exceptions apply during 2026/27 to certain accommodation already being provided.
The Government says the consolidated grant across England has been increased substantially as part of its multi-year local government settlement, with a wider package of approximately £2.4 billion planned over the spending-review period for homelessness, rough sleeping and domestic abuse activity.
At Epsom and Ewell, councillors unanimously noted the proposed use of the grant alongside recently announced Rough Sleeper Programme funding and the 4% uplift in the nightly-paid accommodation budget to address the current-year pressure.
Urgent housing decision
The committee also formally noted an urgent decision taken earlier in the year to appoint Turning Point to provide independent reviews of adverse homelessness decisions.
Cllr Woodbridge explained that applicants rejected for housing assistance have a statutory right to seek a review. Without a review service in place, the Council risked being unable properly to determine such challenges, with potentially costly consequences.
The appointment had therefore been made urgently rather than waiting several months for the next committee meeting.
Cllr Geleit welcomed the documentation, saying it was “nice to see a well-presented urgent decision in paperwork”.
The committee unanimously noted the decision.
Closing the meeting, Cllr Woodbridge observed that it was possible — although not certain — that this might prove to be the final meeting of Epsom and Ewell Borough Council’s Community and Wellbeing Committee before local government reorganisation.
With East Surrey taking responsibility for housing from 1st April 2027, he said it was difficult to predict how much meaningful business would remain for the committee in its final months.
Epsom & Ewell 3–1 Yateley United. Combined Counties Premier League South. Saturday 10th October – Chalky Lane, Chessington. Attendance: 81
Epsom & Ewell secured their first home victory of the season with an impressive 3–1 win over Yateley United at Chalky Lane.
With club captain Brendan sidelined through injury, the armband was handed to Toby Young, who led the line superbly and set the tone with a tireless performance.
The Salts started brightly and were almost ahead inside three minutes when Oba broke clear and delivered an inviting cross, but nobody was able to apply the finishing touch.
The hosts continued to press, with Blessing Hombessa beating two defenders before sending another dangerous ball into the area.
Epsom suffered a setback after 33 minutes when Harry Murphy was forced off through injury. New signing Angel Montes came on for his debut following his arrival from Corinthian-Casuals and quickly settled into the contest with a composed performance.
Despite creating the better chances, the sides went into the interval level at 0–0, with the Salts unfortunate not to be ahead.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 55th minute when Oba was rewarded for an energetic display by finding the net to give Epsom a deserved lead.
Just four minutes later, the hosts doubled their advantage. Leading scorer Hombessa surged past his defender before confidently finishing to make it 2–0. His celebrations earned him a booking, but the Salts were firmly in control.
Oba’s afternoon ended through injury after 68 minutes, with Jason Vincent replacing him. Luis Oliveira was then forced off four minutes later, with Daniel Conteh introduced.
There was a warm reception in the 78th minute for defender Anthonios Nazareth, who returned after a lengthy spell out with a shoulder injury. He replaced Harry Grant to a round of applause from the home support.
Luke Miller later replaced Charlie Miller as Epsom looked to see out the game.
Yateley pulled a goal back in the second minute of stoppage time with a breakaway finish to make it 2–1 and briefly raise hopes of a comeback.
The Salts responded emphatically.
Deep into added time, Hombessa broke clear and calmly drilled a low finish into the corner for his second goal of the afternoon, sealing a deserved 3–1 victory.
It was an encouraging performance from Epsom & Ewell, who combined attacking threat with resilience to record their first home win of the season and collect all three points.
More than 800,000 new trees have been planted across Surrey over the past five years – overshooting the council’s own target, according to a report.
Surrey County Council’s climate change progress report analysed the authority’s progress for the first five years of its climate change delivery programme between 2021 and 2026.
The findings note that 116,359 trees have been planted in the 2025/26 financial year alone, bringing the total planted over the past half decade 885,000.
It means the council has exceeded its initial target of 600,000 in the first phase of the programme. Surrey has committed to planting 1.2 million trees by 2030, representing one for every resident.
Tree planting was one of 74 action points reviewed in the report, which is due to be considered by councillors next week.
A total of 45 of these actions were delivered, according to the summary, with 18 partially completed and 11 either seeing limited progress or not delivered at all.
But the council claims it is “broadly on track” to meet its 2030 net zero targets, with the report saying that the authority’s carbon emissions have been reduced by around 60 percent.
“Maintaining progress towards the net zero will require continued investment, clear prioritisation and a focus on the most carbon-intensive assets, alongside planning around offsetting remaining emissions in 2030,” the report says.
It adds: “A major success of the programme has been supporting residents to reduce energy bills and improve their homes.
“More than 1,438 low-income households received energy efficiency improvements, including insulation, solar and low-carbon heating measures, supported by over 3,000 HEAT home visits providing advice and access to funding.”
However, it also noted the challenges ahead in continuing to pursue decarbonisation policies, saying the programme was “significantly affected by external market conditions, supply chain constraints and wider economic pressures”.
Elmbridge Borough Council recently passed a motion calling for the future East Surrey council to update its tree strategy to consider the survival rate of trees, not just how many are planted.
The text said that many trees planted in the borough are dying within the year as a result of not receiving the right aftercare.
In that meeting, Councillor Katerina Lusk (Conservative: Cobham and Downside) told councillors: “There is little point celebrating the number of trees we plant if a significant number of them are dead a year later.”
Jim Al-Khalili to delve into the mysteries of time at Guildford Book Festival
13 October 2026
Acclaimed physicist and broadcaster, Professor Jim Al-Khalili, will join fellow University of Surrey astrophysicist, Dr Noelia Noël, at the Guildford Book Festival for a conversation exploring one of science’s greatest mysteries: the nature of time.
Taking place on Tuesday evening, 13 October, at Guildford Baptist Church, the event will centre on Professor Al-Khalili’s new book, On Time: The Physics That Makes the Universe Tick.
The book explores questions that have puzzled philosophers and scientists for thousands of years, including whether time had a beginning and if it will have an end, why it appears to flow towards the future rather than the past, whether it can be stretched, squeezed or even reversed – and, at the deepest level, whether time itself is real.
In a conversation with host Dr Noël, Professor Al-Khalili will take audiences on a journey through physics, philosophy and cosmology, unpacking what modern science can tell us about something that governs every moment of our lives yet remains mysterious.
Professor Al-Khalili said:
“Time is something we all experience, but the deeper you look, the stranger it becomes. Quantum mechanics, relativity and thermodynamics all give us different ways of understanding what time is and how it works. That’s what makes it such a fascinating mystery – we live our whole lives by it, yet there is still so much we don’t understand.”
Professor Al-Khalili is Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Physics at Surrey, a Fellow of the Royal Society and one of the UK’s best-known science communicators. He has written numerous popular science books, presented television documentaries and is best known for his long-running BBC Radio 4 programme The Life Scientific.
Dr Noelia Noël is a Senior Lecturer in Astrophysics at the University of Surrey’s School of Mathematics and Physics. She has received multiple awards and recognition for her work, including a prestigious 2026 Leadership Fellowship in Public Engagement from the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), recognising her contributions to astrophysics and sustainable space research, as well as her commitment to creating more inclusive pathways into science.
Dr Noël said:
“Jim has a wonderful ability to make some of the biggest questions in physics accessible, exciting and relevant to everyone. Time is something we all think we understand because we experience it every day, yet in physics it quickly becomes wonderfully strange. I’m really looking forward to exploring those ideas with Jim and sharing the conversation with audiences here in Guildford.”
The ticketed event, Jim Al-Khalili in conversation with Dr Noelia Noel – On Time, is dedicated to the memory of Patricia Grayburn, in recognition of her strong and lasting connection with the University of Surrey.
Epsom Hospital added to app helping visually impaired bus users
13 October 2026
Epsom Hospital has been added to a Surrey scheme using smartphone technology to help blind and partially sighted people travel more independently by public transport.
Surrey County Council has expanded free access to the Aira Explorer app to 13 hospitals and healthcare sites across the county, including Epsom Hospital.
The move follows earlier stages of the scheme reported by the Epsom & Ewell Times. Surrey became the first UK local authority to introduce the service at bus stations in June 2025, before it was subsequently extended to Epsom Station and other rail and bus interchanges later that year.
A helping eye on the journey
Aira Explorer allows a visually impaired traveller to make a video call from their smartphone to a trained visual interpreter.
The interpreter can see through the phone’s camera and give spoken guidance to the user. At the newly included healthcare locations, the service is intended to help people navigate between nearby bus stops and hospital entrances.
Use of the app at the designated Surrey locations is free, with the scheme funded by Surrey County Council from its allocation under the Government’s Bus Service Improvement Fund.
Alongside Epsom Hospital, the healthcare locations covered are Royal Surrey County Hospital, Frimley Park Hospital, Ashford Hospital, St Peter’s Hospital, East Surrey Hospital, Farnham Hospital, Woking Community Hospital, Molesey Hospital, Walton Community Hospital, Sunbury Health Centre, Leatherhead Community Hospital and Cranleigh Village Hospital.
The app also remains available at major bus stations and interchanges in Guildford, Redhill, Staines and Woking and at bus stops serving railway stations including Epsom, Caterham, Dorking, Oxted, Leatherhead, Reigate and Horley.
From Epsom Station to Epsom Hospital
EET reported in June 2025 on the introduction of Aira at Guildford, Redhill, Staines and Woking bus stations.
The scheme was expanded later in the year, with Epsom Station among the locations added. The latest development therefore extends the same type of assistance to another important destination for local residents.
Cllr Matt Furniss, Surrey County Council Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth, said the council was aware that using buses and navigating transport facilities could be difficult for people with visual impairments.
He said the hospital expansion was designed to assist passengers travelling by bus for important appointments and added: “We’re keen to make bus travel accessible for everyone and hope this expansion will support people to travel confidently and independently.”
The council says the initiative forms part of wider spending on bus services, including £6.3 million for additional ultra-low and zero-emission community transport minibuses, £9 million for bus priority measures and £1.4 million for improved passenger information at bus stops.
Disability groups welcome expansion
Nikki Roberts, chief executive of Surrey Coalition of Disabled People, welcomed the extension, saying free access to the service at key locations would be “hugely beneficial” to members with sight loss travelling around Surrey.
Dave Smith, Engagement Manager for South East England at sight-loss charity Thomas Pocklington Trust, said the app was particularly useful if a traveller became disorientated or encountered unexpected roadworks or obstructions.
Clare Burgess, chief executive of Sensory Services by Sight for Surrey, also welcomed the expansion, describing Aira as a useful tool for blind and partially sighted people travelling around the county.
Image: Idealised representation of app user at a bus stop near Epsom Hospital
Is Chantilly better governed than its twin Epsom?
13 October 2026
Dear Editor,
Thank you for reporting the visit of an Epsom municipal delegation, led by the Mayor, to Chantilly. Their programme sounded interesting and enjoyable.
That Chantilly holds 55 days of racing over 11 months makes racing at Epsom — our major claim to fame — seem rather puny. The Epsom visitors’ other entertainments will make the Chantilly visitors’ return visit here a bit lacking in local colour and character.
This disappointing comparison leads to three questions, all familiar bones of contention over many years:
Is France more or less centralised than the UK? Which country seems to be better governed?
Would Epsom do better under a French mayoral system? Our borough built 37 houses, I believe, last year, which suggests a lack of purpose or belief in the future of our borough.
How does France maintain its vigorous regional diversity and local character while ours is about to be squeezed to death by local government reform?
Would you be willing to let the Mayor illuminate these issues, drawing on her delegation’s experience at Chantilly? It might spark an interesting correspondence.
Yours faithfully,
Edward Clay
.
Related reports:
Epsom and Ewell Mayor leads delegation to Chantilly to celebrate 30th anniversary of twinning Epsom & Ewell Times
Epsom and Ewell Town Twinning Association presents Cyril Frazer Awards for 2026 Epsom & Ewell Times
Epsom and Ewell to have three tiers of government when promised one? Epsom & Ewell Times
Epsom & Ewell Borough Council publishes final Annual Report Epsom & Ewell Times
Latest news from Surrey County Council
13 October 2026
Surrey County Council has issued a flurry of announcements covering school environmental projects, a major Government-backed reform of special educational needs provision and the future of Council Tax support when Surrey’s new unitary authorities take over next April.
For Epsom and Ewell residents, the most immediately relevant development may be a consultation on how Council Tax Reduction will operate under the new East Surrey Council from 1 April 2027.
Council Tax support under the new East Surrey Council
Residents are being invited to comment on proposals for the Council Tax Reduction scheme which will apply when Epsom and Ewell Borough Council and the other existing councils in eastern Surrey disappear next year.
At present Surrey’s 11 district and borough councils each operate their own Council Tax Reduction scheme. Eligibility and the amount of help available can therefore vary depending on where somebody lives.
From 1 April 2027 those councils, together with Surrey County Council, will be replaced by East Surrey Council and West Surrey Council. Each of the two new authorities will consequently require a single Council Tax Reduction scheme for its entire area.
Council Tax Reduction is intended to help people on low incomes or receiving certain benefits by reducing the amount of Council Tax they have to pay.
Draft schemes for both new authorities have now gone out to consultation. Surrey County Council says no final decisions have been made and existing support will continue while consultation takes place.
The East Surrey consultation runs from 7 October until 3 December 2026, with current recipients of Council Tax Reduction and organisations supporting them particularly encouraged to respond.
East Surrey Shadow Councillor Andy Burton, portfolio holder for finance and resources, said residents’ responses would help decision-makers assess the effects of the proposals before a final scheme is agreed.
The exercise is one of the many pieces of administrative plumbing required before Surrey County Council and the borough and district councils cease to exist next April. Services which are currently administered differently across council boundaries will have to be combined into common systems for each of Surrey’s two new authorities.
Government approves Surrey SEND reform plan
Meanwhile, the Department for Education has approved Surrey’s three-year Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Reform Plan.
The Government told Surrey that its plan had met the required threshold and provided a basis for moving into implementation.
Of substantial financial significance is the Council’s eligibility for an indicative £205.2 million High Needs Stability Grant. SCC says this represents 90 per cent of the Dedicated Schools Grant deficit accumulated up to the end of the 2025/26 financial year.
The scale of the problem is considerable. Surrey County Council’s more recent budget monitoring has referred to a cumulative Dedicated Schools Grant deficit of around £238 million, against which approximately £205 million of Government stability funding was anticipated.
The reform programme is intended to place greater emphasis on earlier intervention and supporting more children with additional needs within mainstream education.
One element, called “Experts at Hand”, is intended to bring specialists including educational psychologists, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and specialist teachers closer to mainstream schools and colleges. Surrey’s Cabinet was told in July that £8.3 million would be available in 2026/27 for this part of the programme.
The wider plan includes increasing the SEND workforce, expanding provision, improving governance and seeking better transitions for young people entering adulthood.
Government approval was not, however, an unqualified endorsement. The Department for Education said further work was required on delivery capacity, partnership working and governance, together with clearer measures of success, post-16 pathways, co-production with families and assessment of future early-years and specialist provision requirements.
SCC Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Lifelong Learning Cllr Helyn Clack said the Council would now move from planning into delivery.
The success of that delivery will matter more to families than approval of the plan itself, particularly against a longstanding background of pressure on specialist places, Education Health and Care Plans and Surrey’s high-needs education budget.
Surrey tops Eco-Schools table
On a rather different educational front, Surrey says it has retained the highest number of Eco-Schools Green Flag awards of any English local authority area for the fourth year running.
More than 200 Surrey schools are taking part in the Eco-Schools programme, with 105 achieving Green Flag status, its highest accreditation.
SCC says about 55,500 pupils are involved, including around 1,900 pupil eco-leaders. Projects range from wildlife-friendly areas and plastic-free lunches to sustainable food, monitoring energy use and encouraging active travel.
According to figures supplied by the Council, participating schools over the past year diverted 362,452kg of waste from landfill and saved 61,107kWh of electricity and 152,223kWh of gas.
The County Council has supported the Eco-Schools programme for 13 years and says it has also provided more than £120,000 in grants during the past 12 months to help schools become more resilient to the effects of climate change.
Marisa Heath, SCC Cabinet Member for Environment and Planning, described the Green Flag results as evidence of the work being undertaken by Surrey school communities, while Cllr Clack said environmental projects also allowed children to develop knowledge and skills which could benefit their schools and wider communities.
Taken together, the three announcements illustrate the unusually broad range of responsibilities still resting with Surrey County Council during its final months – from children with complex educational needs and environmental education to preparations for the entirely new local government structure that will replace it on 1 April 2027.
