News
Composition of the new Council
Following the local elections on Thursday 4 May, the Council comprises 35 elected Councillors. See our website for the full election results.
The political balance of the Council is: 26 Residents' Association, 4 Liberal Democrat, 3 Labour and 2 Conservative. Each councillor represents a specific ward and serves for four years.
Councillors by ward
Auriol
College
Court
Cuddington
Ewell Court
Ewell Village
Horton
Nonsuch
Ruxley
Stamford
Stoneleigh
Town
West Ewell
Woodcote & Langley Vale
Ewell Village consultation
Would you like to see less traffic congestion in Ewell Village?
Surrey County Council is proposing changes to Ewell Village to reduce congestion and make it a nicer place for residents.
From now until the end of June, they're asking Ewell Village residents to tell them what they think of their plans.
See Surrey County Council's plans in person and chat to their project team at their in-person event:
? Friday 9 June, Bourne Hall, 4pm to 8pm
You can also view the plans online and give feedback: https://ewellvillage.commonplace.is/
Safer Streets
Epsom and Ewell Borough Council has been working with our local partners to help make the town’s streets and venues even safer, particularly for those out at night.
Analysis of crime in the area highlighted a peak in activity at night and a survey conducted with the local community confirmed there were concerns around night-time safety. Aggressive behaviour, drug use and extreme drunkenness came up as key issues, with woman in particular feeling less safe than men while out at night.
To address these issues, Epsom and Ewell Borough Council and Epsom and Ewell Safer Neighbourhood Team joined forces with Surrey’s Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend to apply for funding as part of the Safer Streets initiative. This is a Home Office led scheme that targets specific crime issues within local areas with the aim of reducing offending. In July last year, we were granted £270,000 of funding, which has been used to fund:
- Improve CCTV coverage across Epsom town centre by installing 15 new cameras.
- Provide all Epsom night-time venues with free anti-drink spiking bottle stoppers, drink covers and drink spiking test kits.
- Work with training provider Good Night Out to start to deliver training to licensed premises to help staff feel confident spotting sexual harassment and know how to help.
- Support our local Street Pastors through volunteer training and new uniforms.
We are supporting Surrey Police's communications campaign to highlight these new measures to improve feelings of safety and deter potential offenders. More information is available on Surrey Police's website.
Councillor Alex Coley, Chair of the Crime & Disorder Committee said: “The safety and wellbeing of residents and visitors in the borough is of paramount importance to the Council, and we are very pleased our application for funding to improve safety in Epsom town centre was successful.
“We hope that the measures that we and our partners at Surrey Police have introduced will mean that those going out in the borough can enjoy themselves while also feeling comfortable and safe in our town centre.”
Inspector Jon Vale, Epsom and Ewell Borough Commander, added: “We’ve been working closely with local partners, including Epsom and Ewell Borough Council, to introduce these new measures to help Epsom be an even safer place to be at night, in particular for women and girls. This funding has allowed us to put our focus on areas where the community have told us they have concerns.
“Violence against women and girls is a priority for us, and alongside these changes we are also introducing a new proactive policing initiative. Plain clothed officers will support uniformed colleagues in identifying suspicious or predatory behaviour at night. They will be operating in the town centre on a regular basis, both inside and outside of licensed premises, to help venues achieve a safer environment for their customers.”
Surrey Domestic Abuse Awareness Week
Controlling behaviour in relationships
Not all abuse is physical
Domestic abuse in relationships doesn’t always involve physical violence. It can be sexual, financial and emotional abuse and can happen to anyone. Sustained controlling behaviour such as regularly intimidating, bullying, criticising or threatening someone in a personal or intimate relationship, are all forms of what is called ‘coercive control’. This is a form of domestic abuse and is a criminal offence.
What is coercive control?
Typically, one person in a personal relationship, whether it be a partner, spouse or family member, will control the other over a period of time and in ways that go largely unnoticed by friends and family. As well as the bullying and criticism, common traits of coercive control can include checking the other’s phone, making them dress in or look a certain way, wanting to know where they are and who they are seeing, restricting their money or cutting them off from friends and family.
Who can it happen to and what support is available?
Domestic abuse can happen to anyone and affects people of all genders, ages, ethnicities, abilities and income levels. A range of help and support is available, including general advice and confidential listening. So, if you think you may be in a controlling relationship or know someone who is, we are here to help when you are ready. Visit the Surrey Against Domestic Abuse website, call Surrey’s Domestic Abuse helpline provided by Your Sanctuary on 01483 776822 or use the Your Sanctuary confidential online chat to get advice, signposting and information, just as you would over the phone. In an emergency you should always call 999.
Help us recycle more of the right things
Research shows that many people feel like they are already recycling as much as they can. But according to data, over 26,000 tonnes of recyclable waste can be found in Surrey’s rubbish bins. Categorised by material, that would look something like this…
- 9,096 tonnes of paper and card, equating to roughly 5,000 cars.
- 8,353 tonnes of plastic, equal to almost 1,500 elephants.
- 6,619 tonnes of glass, that’s approximately 9,500 cows.
- 2,268 tonnes of metal, equivalent to around 4,500 polar bears.
Why is this a big deal?
For Epsom & Ewell Borough Council and the tax payer, recycling makes financial sense because it costs less to recycle waste than it does to dispose of it as rubbish. It’s also better for the environment as recycling generates less carbon dioxide than rubbish disposal. So as a county Surrey needs to waste less and recycle more.
Win, win, with your recycling bin
This summer, please help save money and the planet by recycling more. That includes:
- Letters, envelopes, paper, card, leaflets, catalogues, glossy brochures and magazines, junk mail, newspapers and cardboard.
- Food packaging such as plastic pots, tubs and trays.
- Plastic bottles used for shampoo, detergent, and cleaning products.
- Glass bottles and jars.
- Metal food tins for things like tuna, soup, fruit and pet food.
These small changes will make a big impact, not only to the planet but we can use the money saved for essential services for Surrey’s communities instead.
Find out more at: surreyep.org.uk
Home Upgrade Grant
It is still a challenging time, with many of us struggling in the cost of living crisis. Making your home more energy efficient and environmentally friendly is a great opportunity to reduce energy bills and do your bit for the environment and reduce your carbon footprint.
What funding is available?
More than £12m of Government funding is now available, via the Home Upgrade Grant scheme, for Surrey residents to make their homes more energy efficient and environmentally friendly.
Who is eligible?
If your home is not heated by gas you might be eligible for this grant. Anyone living in hard to heat homes and on lower incomes could receive up to £38,000 to fund measures that; improve a range of insulation including wall, loft and underfloor; install solar PV, solar thermal and air source heat pumps and ensure ventilation meets the industry standards.
Your property must have an EPC rating of D-G, the primary form of heating must not be mains gas and you will need to meet the financial eligibility criteria. Funding is limited and will be on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Find out more
For more information and to check if you’re eligible for the grant, visit the Action Surrey website or call 0800 783 2503.
Help for landlords
If you’re a private landlord, your tenant might be eligible for the funding. You can also check The Domestic Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) Regulations Guidance for Landlords web page for details on updated requirements.
Grass verge cutting in Epsom
From 1 April, Surrey County Council took over responsibility for cutting the grass verges in Epsom and Ewell.
However, operational issues at the start of the new contract and the wet weather in April and at the start of May resulted in the grass cutting programme running approximately four weeks behind schedule in certain areas.
Surrey County Council are working hard to catch up. For more information and to report a grass cutting issue in your area, please visit Surrey County Council's grass cutting webpage.
Grass cutting schedule for Epsom and Ewell borough.
Dementia Hub - specialist respite daycare
Epsom & Ewell Borough Council have renamed their Dementia Daycare Service the Dementia Hub – and are using the opportunity to remind those living locally about the fantastic service the Hub offers for the community.
The Dementia Hub, situated in Sefton Road in Epsom, offers specialist respite daycare for people living with memory loss and dementia. It offers a safe, friendly environment where clients can enjoy activities, social interaction and develop skills to improve their quality of life.
The Dementia Hub is part of the Community & Wellbeing Centre, a support hub which offers social and recreational activities for over 55s. The Community & Wellbeing Centre also provides services including assisted bathing, a community alarm service, foot clinic, meals at home, a shopping service and transport from home.
The Dementia Hub’s new name and logo will make it easier for people to find information about the facility online, as well as helping create a stronger identity for the service.
People who are interested in finding out more about the Dementia Hub or who’d like to book a free assessment can call 01372 727583 or visit: www.epsom-ewell.gov.uk/dementia-hub.
Surrey Energy Advice
Online Energy Advice Tool to help you save money
Surrey County Council have created a new online Energy Advice Tool. The tool asks a series of short questions and depending on the answers will offer tailored information on grants, support and advice, and non-financial help on a range of topics including:
- Find free or part-funded schemes to make you home more energy efficient
- Signpost to debt relief grants
- Where to find additional services such as clothes and food banks
- Fuel vouchers
Other support:
Welfare Hub
Surrey County Council have pulled together financial, health and welfare information on their website to ensure you find what support is on offer in the country. For more information, visit the Welfare Hub.
Cost of Living Support
Visit Epsom & Ewell Borough Council's Cost of Living Support webpage for more support and advice.
Jobs at Epsom & Ewell Borough Council
We're recruiting.
Our small but ambitious authority offers you the opportunity to become involved in a wide range of varied and interesting work. That, together with an enviable array of staff benefits and a rewarding and challenging career is our unique offer to you.
If you have the passion and the drive to make a real difference, we really want to hear from you. View a list of all current vacancies at Epsom & Ewell Borough Council here.
At Epsom & Ewell Borough Council, we are passionate about maintaining an inclusive workplace for all that reflects the communities we serve. We welcome applications from all sections of our community particularly from underrepresented backgrounds, including BAME, LGBTQ+ and those with hidden or visible disabilities.
We are committed to ensuring all our staff – regardless of gender, age, religion, sexuality, ethnicity or disability – can thrive and succeed whilst working with us.
Take a look at our current vacancies, including:
Housing Needs and Development Officer
Developer Contributions Lead Officer
Planning Enforcement Officer
All our vacancies can be found here: epsom-ewell.gov.uk/careers 