Newsletter - Sun 26 Nov, 2023

In this issue

• Remaining staff at Reigate Police station are to move to the former fire service HQ in Wray Park for “at least” 18-24 months, some time before Christmas. The station’s public counter moved to Caterham police station in late October, where it will remain, as there’s no suitable location at Wray Park. The upheaval is down to the presence of RAAC.

• A small chain of Turkish restaurants, Cappadocia, says it still plans to open in Redhill.

• Santa’s Christmas routes have been published by the two local groups of volunteers who help him tour local roads (details also on our What’s On page (Opens in a new window) which is free-to-read for all).

• There’s a plan for flats at the former Redhill job centre building, just over the road from Sainsbury’s and the Harlequin.

Other news

• There’s less than a week to go until one of the high points in the Reigate calendar - Reigate Business Guild’s Christmas Fayre on Saturday 2 December, which culminates in the switch-on of the town’s Christmas lights. More on the guild’s website (Opens in a new window).

• In the morning of that same day, Saturday 2 December, Santa makes his annual arrival into Priory Park by helicopter. Details from organisers Redhill & Reigate Round Table are here (Opens in a new window).

• Some families in Surrey are receiving “inconsistent” support for children with additional needs or disabilities, according to a CQC & Ofsted report on the local area partnership that plans and commissions SEND services. The report said the overall pace of improvements to services is too slow. More from Emily Coady-Stemp, Local Democracy Reporter, including Surrey County Council’s response, can be read here (Opens in a new window).

• St John the Evangelist, in Church Road, Redhill - that’s the church with the prominent spire near Pendleton Road and the A23 - is seeking to urgently raise funds after its roof was damaged in recent storms. Details of the problem and how to donate are here. (Opens in a new window)

Staff to move out of Reigate police station

• Reigate police station, on the A25 between Reigate and Redhill (Google)

Following the discovery of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in September, Surrey Police will move officers and staff from Reigate police station to the former fire service HQ in Wray Park for “at least” the next 18-24 months.

The public front counter will remain in its temporary home at Caterham police station as the force says Wray Park has no suitable location.

A timetable is still being worked up, but the move is expected to be complete by Christmas.

The force has already left areas of the Reigate station that structural engineers said couldn’t be supported with ‘Acrow’ props, including the move of the public counter to Caterham at the end of October, and the switching of teams to other police sites and remote working.

Having addressed the immediate concern for safety, Surrey Police say they have been looking at the working environment of remaining staff and officers.

“In any business continuity situation the circumstances can be challenging, even more so where a building is removed from use in such a short space of time,” Temporary Superintendent Jak Bowers said.

“We’re really proud of how our teams have responded with agility and professionalism to such a fast-paced change whilst maintaining a smile and commitment to continuing their service to the public.

“We’ve been reviewing our short-term plans to ensure that our systems are working efficiently, that offices aren’t overcrowded, and that there is an adequate mix of open plan and more confidential spaces for the different types of work our teams undertake.”

Maureen Cherry, Surrey Police’s estates strategy director, said it was with this in mind that they have been engaging with Surrey Fire & Rescue Service and Surrey County Council, working to conclude legal arrangements to secure space at Wray Park for the next 18-24 months.

She said: “The public, together with our officers and staff, rightly want to know what the future looks like for Surrey Police. I hope that this update provides confidence that our teams will continue to deliver an excellent police service to residents in the east of Surrey, while we properly consider our estate map for the division’s needs.”

Elected police and crime commissioner, Lisa Townsend, said it had been a “tough time” for teams based at Reigate and thanked them for their understanding.

“I am really pleased that we have found a temporary solution that will not only provide a suitable working environment for our teams but will also mean we can maintain our policing footprint in the local area,” she said.

The move will be “for at least the next 18-24 months until longer-term decisions and plans are realised”, Surrey Police have said.

The force says it will work with the fire and rescue service to learn how they minimised the impact on local residents of emergency responses from the site.

As well as the former fire and rescue HQ, Wray Park houses the still-operational Reigate fire station.

Cappadocia still looking to come to Redhill

• Cappadocia Redhill logo as shared on social media

A small independent chain of Turkish restaurants, Cappadocia, says it is still coming to Redhill.