Current situation

Box Hill is currently not parished. The Neighbourhood Council does not have statutory status and cannot raise funds via Council Tax. It is also not bound by the Nolan standards on conduct in public life.

Proposed change

The initial round of consultation generated a small response but respondents were clearly in favour of forming a Parish Council, so Mole Valley decided to put the proposal for a Parish Council to residents in the second consultation. The proposal is to create a new Parish Council with 8 councillors. 

Issues to consider

• Representation
  • Box Hill is currently represented by 3 District Councillors (whose Ward also includes Brockham, Betchworth, Buckland & Headley) and a County Councillor who covers the whole Dorking Hills area.
  • Under a Unitary Council it would have two Councillors covering a population twice the size of the current District Ward and stretching down to Charlwood & Hookwood. Most of this area is already represented by Parish Councils.
  • They provide support for residents, not just in their dealings with the Councils but also with other local service providers, such as police, health, water companies, National Trust, etc.
  • Would you like to see elected Parish Councillors so that disadvantaged and vulnerable residents in our area can continue to call on a similar level of support?
  • Also, in such a large ward, it is unlikely that either of the two elected Unitary councillors would live in Box Hill, so they might not fully understand the distinctive needs of the community
• Assets in the community
  • A Parish Council would be able to consider whether there is local demand for community assets such as allotments or a playground and. if so, whether it could manage them more effectively to meet local needs, rather than by a remote Unitary Council covering half a million people.
• Discretionary Services
  • The 21 bus service depends on a subsidy from the County Council;
  • Support for local charities, such as Citizens Advice, East Surrey Domestic Violence;
  • A Parish Council would be able to reflect any demand by local residents to support additional community activities and prioritise delivery by local suppliers who know the area. 
  • A Parish Council would also control the Neighbourhood element of any Community Infrastructure Levy raised on new developments, ensuring that these funds are spent on local priorities.
• Cost
  • The Parish Council would be funded by a charge raised as part of the Council Tax and initial estimates are that this is likely to start at between £20 and £80 per year

Local Liberal Democrats believe that, especially under a more remote Unitary Council, communities would generally benefit from having elected, accountable Parish Councils. 

Given small response to the initial consultation, it is really important that the views of as many electors as possible are considered. So we encourage all residents to review the arguments on both sides and reply to the consultation. 

Give us your views