News
Epsom & Ewell Borough Council thanks the hosts who have welcomed people displaced by the war
Epsom & Ewell Borough Council offers a huge thank you to more than 60 hosts who have welcomed Ukrainian people into their homes as part of the Homes for Ukraine scheme, and asks anyone who is interested in finding out more about becoming a sponsor to get in touch.
The council, in partnership with Epsom & Ewell Refugee Network (EERN), has facilitated more than 120 placements in the borough as part of the Homes for Ukraine scheme since it began last February.
Galyna, who arrived in the UK from Ukraine in May 2022, said: “When I first arrived in the UK I felt really lost, as I didn’t know anybody or how things worked. I was supported by the Homes from Ukraine team at Epsom & Ewell Borough Council soon after arrival.”
Amanda, one of the borough’s valued hosts, said: “Back in March 2022, we signed up for the Homes for Ukraine scheme and had no idea what we had signed up for, it just seemed like the right thing to do!
“We now have our second set of lovely guests, we know a lot more about the history of Eastern Europe, have negotiated government systems and learnt much about ourselves. We have no regrets and feel very proud to be a part of Homes for Ukraine.”
Councillor Clive Woodbridge, Chair of the Community and Wellbeing Committee, said: “I have been overwhelmed by the kindness that people in Epsom & Ewell have shown in welcoming displaced people from Ukraine to our borough.
“Hosts have helped families feel at home in a new place where they may not speak the language, showing them around and helping them feel safe.
“I’d like to say thank you to the many people who have supported efforts to help people in Ukraine, by taking part in the Homes for Ukraine scheme, raising money, or donating money or goods.”
Nicky Marshall, Host Supervisor for EERN, said: “95% of placements work very well. Guest(s) become like members of the family.
“Hosts join the scheme for many different reasons and have fed back that it is enriching and enlightening, giving both parties the chance to learn about a different culture (and sometimes experience a different cuisine!).”
EERN works with Epsom & Ewell Council to support Ukrainians in our borough, providing regular English lessons, helping families navigate school requirements, and aiding people in finding employment, for example putting them in touch with the Epsom & Ewell Employment Hub. EERN also run social events that help Ukrainian guests feel more at home.
Anyone who is interested in finding out about the Homes for Ukraine scheme should email homesforukraine@epsom-ewell.gov.uk.
Success in dealing with fly-tipping in the borough
Our Environmental Health team recently dealt with two reports of fly-tipping in the Ruxley Lane/Kingston Road area.
The first involved a number of bulky waste items left out in the service road behind the parade of shops on Kingston Road. Officers were given CCTV footage of the person responsible and door-to-door enquiries were made to the flats above the shops.
When the fly-tipper was found, they admitted that they had left the items in the service road saying they couldn’t transport the items to a waste disposal site and didn’t know of a business who could remove the items for them.
Officers told them about the council’s bulky waste collection service and gave advice about what to do with their waste, how they should be correctly disposing of it and the offences they could be committing if they didn’t.
A bulky waste collection appointment was booked and a Fixed Penalty Notice was issued for the fly-tipping.
The second case involved more fly-tipping and an abandoned truck. After speaking with local residents, businesses and visitors, our Environmental Health officers arranged for the discarded items and the abandoned vehicle to be removed. The truck has now been destroyed as no owner has come forward.
Fly-tips are an ongoing problem on this service road, and one fly-tip can encourage others to add to the waste, creating a greater problem. Our Environmental Health Enforcement Officers regularly visit this area to monitor for new fly-tips. They look for evidence within the waste to identify who may have committed the offence, so action can be taken against them. A good working relationship has been developed with some of the businesses and residents who use this service road, so they can advise of any new issues or incidents and provide evidence when they have it.
The Environmental Health team have put up fly-tipping signage in the service road to act as a warning to potential fly-tippers. The team are also looking at installing new, more visible CCTV cameras for a period of time to help collect evidence of offences being committed.
Save money and the planet – is there 1-in-5 bags of shopping being thrown away per household each week?
Few people have avoided the impact of the cost-of-living crisis but there are ways to reduce its effect. With an estimated 1-in-5 bags of shopping being thrown away each week, impacting our bank balances and the planet, there has never been a better time to rethink how we approach food shopping and meal planning.
Here's some top tips from the Surrey Environment Partnership (SEP):
Step 1. Check your cupboards, fridge and freezer
Do you have food stashed away at the back of your cupboards, fridges and freezer that you’d forgotten you had? Sometimes these items will be past their use-by-date – in which case, please dispose of them in your food waste caddy. But for products that are frozen or do not have a use-by-date, make a note of them to help you with your meal plan.
Step 2. Meal planning
Got a house of fussy eaters? Include them in the meal planning. Ask what they like and see how you can incorporate that into your plan, based on what you have already and what you can afford to buy. Obviously asking for nuggets and chips every night probably isn’t going to wash, but it could be a weekday treat. Why not check-out some family favourites on the SEP website for inspiration.
Step 3. Do what works for you
Remember, an evening meal needn’t be a complicated affair. Often a tin of beans over some toasted bread, a boiled egg, or a warming bowl of soup (homemade or from a can) can be just as good. Never feel bad for not wanting to slave over an elaborate or time consuming meal every night. Think about your time and what you and your family enjoy and then go from there. And remember, many of these ingredients might already be in your cupboards!
Step 4. Write that shopping list
Now that you know what ingredients you already have and the meals you’ll be able to use them for, look at what you need to buy to complete the meals on your plan and put it on your shopping list.
Step 5. Check it’s healthy
If not don’t worry, there are plenty of tips on the SEP website that incorporate healthy, low-cost ingredients into the most delicious dishes.
Step 6. Go shopping
Armed with your list, grab that trolley or online cart and buy only what you need.
Head over to surreyep.org.uk for more tips, recipes and advice.
Epsom-Chantilly Car Rally Planned
Epsom and Ewell has been twinned with the beautiful French town of Chantilly for almost 30 years. The Epsom and Ewell Town Twinning Association, formed by Epsom and Ewell Borough Council in 1995, is dedicated to fostering connections between our two communities.
Next year, Epsom and Ewell Town Twinning Association is planning to hold a special car rally between the borough and Chantilly, a distance of around 270 miles.
Participants will leave Epsom on Saturday, 11 May 2024 and arrive in Chantilly the same day for presentations and dinner. After a night in a local hotel, and a chance for some sightseeing in Chantilly, participants would return at their leisure on Sunday, 12 May 2024.
Chairman of Epsom and Ewell Town Twinning Association, Nigel Collin, says, "The rally will not be a classic race to the finish, but rather treasure hunt style. Participants will receive marks for identifying various points of interest along the route and responding to certain challenges. It should be a fun occasion and a chance for owners of vehicles of all ages, types and sizes to participate and see our twin town of Chantilly in a unique way."
The estimated cost is £60 per car, for which two decals will be supplied, and includes dinner for the driver and one passenger. The cost of any additional passengers will be £25 per person.
Participants will need to arrange their own cross-channel travel and accommodation in Chantilly, the Twinning Association can offer advice on this if required.
The event will be limited to 50 cars. In order to progress this event, the Association is seeking expressions of interest, with no obligation to participate, to allow it to gauge numbers and make the necessary arrangements. Those interested in taking part are asked to email contact@epsomtwinning.com by Friday, October 27 2023 at the very latest. Applications will be accepted on a first come, first served basis, and if more than 50 cars are entered, a waiting list will be created.
Half price bus fares for under 20s in Surrey
Young people aged 20 and under are now entitled to 50% off all adult bus fares across Surrey.
Surrey County Council have created a new ‘LINK' card which can be shown on any bus in Surrey to qualify for the discount on all single and return journeys. You can apply at www.surreycc.gov.uk/surreylink.
Journeys should start and/or end in Surrey and people in the qualifying age group must live in the county.
More information is available at www.surreycc.gov.uk/surreylink
The Dementia Hub is here to help
It's World Alzheimer's Month, so if you are caring for someone with Alzheimer's disease, or memory loss, the Dementia Hub can offer support.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Featured vacancies
Epsom Playhouse Theatre has an opportunity for an enthusiastic, passionate, and committed Technical Manager to deliver effective backstage and technical functions to all areas of the venue.
The Housing Support Assistant is the first point of contact for enquiries from customers who are in housing need or who are homeless or threatened with homelessness.
This role sits within the Policy and Corporate Resources team which is a small but busy team that covers a wide range of corporate activities. This role will help set the direction and build the Council’s capability covering strategic and operational procurement as well as supporting our approach to alternative service models, contracts, and outsourcing.
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.
