A new chapter for Rainbow Leisure Centre as Places Leisure takes the reins from 1 October

We are pleased to confirm that Places Leisure will take over the operation of the Rainbow Leisure Centre in Epsom from 1 October. This follows the Council’s announcement in July appointing Places Leisure as the new operator on a 10-year contract, with the option to extend for a further five years.

This exciting new chapter for the Rainbow Leisure Centre will see members continuing to benefit from high-quality leisure, health and wellbeing services. Places Leisure, part of the PfP Group, will be investing its own capital into the leisure centre, upgrading the gym, studios, swimming changing rooms and more.

This marks an exciting new chapter for the Rainbow Leisure Centre, with members set to continue enjoying high-quality leisure, health and wellbeing services.

From 1 October, existing members or anybody looking for a new membership should contact enquiries@pfpleisure.org. More information can be found on their website - Rainbow Leisure Centre FAQ's | Places Leisure.

Places Leisure has been working closely with Epsom & Ewell Borough Council and the outgoing operator, GLL. to ensure an efficient and safe handover,

Councillor Clive Woodbridge, Chair of the Community & Wellbeing Committee said:

“The wellbeing of our community is at the heart of everything we do, and our Health and Wellbeing Strategy continues to shape how we support residents to live healthier, happier lives. We’re proud to be entering a new era at the Rainbow Leisure Centre, one that embraces a holistic approach to health and fitness, and delivers an inclusive Active Communities programme, alongside activities delivered both at the centre and outside in the wider community.

“Places Leisure is providing a platform where everyone in our borough can thrive – opening up opportunities for residents of all ages, including young people, the elderly and those living with a disability or illness, wherever they may be on their wellbeing journey.

“I’d like to thank Places Leisure and Greenwich Leisure Limited for working together to ensure a smooth transition for members. I’d also like to extend our gratitude to Greenwich Leisure Limited for the positive legacy they leave behind, which we are proud to build upon.”

Places Leisure website - https://www.placesleisure.org/   

Epsom & Ewell Business Awards 2025 are now open!

The Epsom & Ewell Business Awards celebrate the fantastic local businesses in Epsom & Ewell, with awards for the best small or independent business, retail business, pub, restaurant, business for customer service, commitment to the community, business for health and wellbeing, property and construction, best business for professional services and most sustainable or ‘green’ business.

• Nominations close at 11:59pm Wednesday 31 December 2025.
• Winners will be announced in March 2026.

We're running the awards in association with What's On In Epsom. Alongside the council, other sponsors are Epsom Downs Racecourse, Epsom Square, TWM Solicitors, North East Surrey College of Technology (NESCOT), Family Building Society, Go Epsom, Amber Group, AtkinsRéalis, Peacock & Co, University for the Creative Arts, and We Built Your Website Ltd.

Do you know of a local business that stands out? Why not nominate them today! Epsom & Ewell Business Awards - Epsom & Ewell Business Awards

Best of luck to all nominees. 

Garden waste disruption

Due to staff sickness, we have been unable to collect some garden waste routes recently.

Dementia Support

September is Dementia Awareness Month and, to mark this, we are informing residents about the services we offer to help you or a loved one that is living with dementia.

Home Improvement Agency

Firstly, our Home Improvement Agency (HIA) can assist residents in accessing dementia support funding for modifications and equipment such as:

Step into Epsom & Ewell - virtually! Two new day trips now available

We've launched two new inclusive virtual tours in partnership with Whistlestop Tours, as part of the council's Virtual Day Trips series. The new virtual tours take you around Epsom and Ewell, shining a spotlight on the history and cultural heritage of the two places. You can watch for free online - at home, in classrooms, or community spaces.

The tours include film and audio. Immersive resource packs and memory boxes, designed to bring the tours to life, are also available.

The Epsom and Ewell Virtual Day Trips were funded by the Arts, Culture and Heritage UK Shared Prosperity Fund allocation for 2024/25. The tours run alongside the Nonsuch Formal Gardens tour produced in 2024.

This project is part of the council’s strategy to widen access to the rich heritage of histories within our borough, allowing people to engage with the information and activities in a way that is comfortable to them.

The tours last for around 30 minutes. Highlights include:

• architectural elements from Nonsuch Palace that can be found by the Assembly Rooms in Epsom town centre
• meeting residents and hearing about their passions, from throwing pottery to playing the bandura, the national instrument of Ukraine
• taking a rare peek inside the Watch House on Ewell High Street
• hearing ghost stories from residents, and
• enjoying a behind-the-scenes tour from the Epsom Beekeepers Association.

Speaking of Epsom & Ewell Borough Council’s Virtual Day Trips, Councillor Clive Woodbridge, Chair of the Community and Wellbeing Committee said:

“I have lived in the borough of Epsom & Ewell for many years, and I found these tours

completely fascinating. I thoroughly recommend them, whether you are new to the borough, a long-time resident like me, or someone who is interested in the local area – they can be enjoyed by everyone.

These two new inclusive Virtual Day Trips show our commitment to increasing access to our borough’s rich history and cultural heritage. They will help people really get to know our fantastic local area".

Other virtual tours in the borough

Digital tours are also available for Horton Country Park and Nonsuch Park on Bloomberg Connects. Take a look below:

• Horton Country Park Local Nature Reserve: Take a Tour of Horton Country Park Local Nature Reserve | Horton Light Railway | Bloomberg Connects
• Nonsuch Park: Nonsuch Park | Bloomberg Connects

Have your say on new parish councils in Epsom & Ewell

• You can respond online Community Governance Review - Epsom & Ewell Borough Council Consultations
  
  
• Fill out a paper copy of the questionnaire and return it to us in a prepaid envelope - paper copies can be found during working hours at:
  • Bourne Hall
  • Community & Wellbeing Centre, Longmead
  • Epsom Town Hall
  • Local libraries

Councillor John Beckett, Chair of the Standards and Constitution Committee, said

“We believe that parish councils would provide an essential link between Epsom & Ewell residents and a new unitary council, which will be responsible for a much larger area in Surrey; ensuring that resident and community voices in Epsom & Ewell are heard and considered by decision-makers in local government in the future. 

“Historically, Epsom & Ewell has had a strong local voice, with more than ninety years of continuous service on Epsom & Ewell Borough Council by the elected Residents’ Association majority group. 

“We want to ensure that the interests of our residents and local communities have a platform, and that our vital local voice is not lost for future generations.”

More information: Community Governance Review | Epsom and Ewell Borough Council

Local government reorganisation in Surrey

In August, Epsom & Ewell Borough Council responded to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government consultation on local government reorganisation (LGR) in Surrey, in support of the proposal for three unitary councils - East, North, and West Surrey.

Our response highlighted evidence within the proposal, which was supported by nine district and borough councils including Epsom & Ewell, which demonstrated how this structure would reflect how people live, work, and access services across the county.

The proposal also outlines how three unitary councils formed around existing local economies would set the stage for future growth in the county, providing a strong foundation for governance that keeps decision-making closer to residents.

Councillor Hannah Dalton, Leader of Epsom & Ewell Borough Council, said:
“Since the LGR consultation began, we’ve been informing residents and stakeholders in Epsom & Ewell that we support the proposal for there to be three unitary councils in Surrey and encouraging them to have their say.

“I’ve spoken to residents at a number of community events about how local government is changing. I’ve heard that people care deeply about their communities and local areas. They want to know their voice will continue to be heard after the changes to local government take place in 2027. This echoes what we found earlier in the year when, as part of the work to develop our proposal, we asked residents to tell us what is most important to them about local government reorganisation.”

This spring, district and borough councils carried out resident engagement to ask people across Surrey how many unitary councils they would prefer, and what their top priorities were in making that decision. A majority - 63% of respondents - said they support the creation of three new unitary authorities. Residents cited understanding of local issues and local decision-making as their top priorities when considering how many new councils Surrey should have.

Councillor Hannah Dalton continued:
“We eagerly await the government’s decision on our proposal for LGR, which we expect to receive in October. We believe that the three unitary model can offer residents the most coherent and future ready solution to the challenges and opportunities that local government reorganisation in Surrey presents.

“Whatever the outcome, I know that we will work with our partners to build a future local government structure that is resilient, delivers quality services and creates opportunity for residents across the county, both now and for generations to come.”

We expect to hear a decision from government in the autumn. Keep up-to-date with how local government is changing here: Surrey Local Government Reorganisation Hub – Surrey LGR Hub

Court Recreation Grounds works until 6 Oct

Improvements are being made to the football pitch in the Court Recreation Grounds, works will take place until 6 October.

Work is currently underway to prepare the pitch and install a new 3G surface in place of the current astroturf - unfortunately this may cause a little disruption:

Thanks for your patience during this time and sorry for any inconvenience caused.

Time to cash in your Child Trust Fund

Many young people aged 18–23 may have forgotten they have savings in a Child Trust Fund account. These accounts were set up by the government for children born between 1 September 2002 and 2 January 2011, with an initial deposit made into each account. The funds become available when the individual turns 18, and the average amount claimed is around £2,200 - yet hundreds of thousands of accounts remain unclaimed. 

HMRC is encouraging young people to check if they have a CTF and claim their money. They don’t need to pay someone to do it, they can easily find their provider for free on Child Trust Fund: Find a Child Trust Fund - GOV.UK

Help to stop smoking this Stoptober.

Stoptober is here again and we want to encourage the remaining 70,000 smokers in Surrey to quit for good.

The No.1 quit smoking app Smoke Free is now available with free pro features for Surrey residents. It offers:

• Free 24/7 support with qualified advisors
• Free nicotine replacement therapies such as patches, gums, lozenges and vapes posted to your door.
• Free access to the pro features of the app including daily missions, live health improvement milestones and a craving analysis to log cravings and identify triggers.

Over 200 Surrey residents have downloaded the app since April – why not join them?

Big Community Switch – to 100% renewable electricity with potential cost benefits

The Big Community Switch is a scheme designed to help people secure better deals on energy - you can switch to 100% renewable electricity and possibly save money on your energy bills by changing energy suppliers. 

This scheme brings our community together to get better prices with 100% renewable energy suppliers. When enough people register, savings can be secured that might not be available to individuals alone. By registering, you can potentially save money and enjoy lower energy prices. Registering to receive an offer from a vetted provider is straightforward, and there’s no obligation to switch. 

Deadline for registrations is 31 October 2025.

Register today at https://bigcommunityswitch.co.uk/

Jobs at Epsom & Ewell Borough Council

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. 

Our latest vacancies include:

Food & Beverage Manager

As Food & Beverage Manager, you’ll be responsible for the smooth day-to-day running of our bar service, ensuring high standards of customer experience and operational efficiency. You’ll play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our food and drink offering, including:

• Designing and implementing new menu options tailored to our audience.
• Identifying and developing new revenue streams.
• Managing stock, ordering supplies, and maintaining inventory.
• Ensuring compliance with licensing laws and food hygiene regulations.
• Leading by example with a hands-on approach

Find out more about the role here: Food & Beverage Manager

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.