Village News

How the Councillors Work at RBBC

Reigate & Banstead Borough Council (RBBC) comprises 51 elected Council Members representing 19 Wards, of which one is an area covering Chipstead, Hooley, Woodmansterne and Netherne. This Ward has 3 Borough Councillors, Richard Mantle, Richard Wagner and John Stephenson.

Each Councillor is elected for 4 years in May on a rolling basis, with the 4th year being reserved for elections to the County Council, where the incumbent is Cllr. Angela Fraser. 

At this time last year there were 39 Councillors supporting the Conservative Party, and 12 with different affiliations. Following the withdrawal of 3 Conservative members and 1 change at the May election there are now 35 Conservative and 16 other members.

The Conservative Members of the Council comprise the Conservative Group, which meets regularly to direct the Executive, receive reports from it and generally hold the Executive Members to task. The Executive consists of the Leader and 9 Members recommended by the Group and approved by the full Council

In a Council with a strong majority, such as RBBC, it is this Conservative Group which is the prime source of decision making.  Meetings take place in private, which enables everyone to air their views and influence their fellow Members in the direction that Council decisions should take.

After full discussion, total agreement on an important issue may not be achieved and it is necessary to vote on the issue within the Group. This Group is not necessarily bound by the national Conservative Party - whilst it adheres to conservative principles, it always has the discretion to depart from the party's national policies if doing so is more appropriate in line with the interests of local residents.

Cllr John Stephenson, Conservative Group