We're a small borough and council, but we are passionate about what we do. We work hard with and for our residents to make Epsom & Ewell a great place to live, work and visit.
We're telling some of the stories of the work done by Epsom & Ewell Borough Council's staff, Councillors and residents that make a positive difference to our borough. Take a look at the case studies below to find out more about some of the different pieces of work we do:
Arts, Culture & Heritage Programme Officer
Our Arts, Culture and Heritage Programme Officer drives the council’s creative ambitions, bringing partners together to deliver an engaging programme of events across the borough.
Lucy tells us about a recent project which she coordinated:
“In September 2023, ten local secondary school students worked in collaboration with the council and international graffiti artists from Positive Arts to create a large-scale mural celebrating the biodiversity within our borough. The artwork dramatically improved the aesthetics of the building, which previously looked tired and in need of renovating.
Watching a cohort of young people succeed in a creative environment was just wonderful! The project is a true visualisation of the impact being creative can have on people and their wellbeing. After completing the mural, one of the young creatives said that he’d “been able to breathe a little easier for a few days” while being with us on the project – it was a lovely way to describe his feelings and it’s moments like these that make my job so rewarding.
This type of project sits within the emerging Cultural Strategy for the council, which seeks to nurture and champion the creative talents within our community while increasing access to creativity for all to enjoy and engage with.
I love the variety of partners that I get to work with in my role – from curators, to artists, teachers, charity workers and countryside officers. Every person I meet has a unique knowledge of what makes our borough brilliant and it’s my job to showcase this!”
- Lucy, Arts Culture & Heritage Programme Officer
Transport & Waste Services team
Our Transport & Waste Services team make half a million collections a month, and sometimes find themselves dealing with the unexpected.
“We’re responsible for refuse and recycling collections in Epsom & Ewell, including developing the waste & recycling strategy which involves developing our recycling services over the years, and responding to the government’s national waste strategies.
My team of 38 people and I are responsible for collecting refuse & recycling across the borough.
We make around half a million collections (yes!) every month so there is always – always – the opportunity for something out of the ordinary to happen. We’ve rescued live animals from bins, from hamsters to dogs to terrapins (often they’ll find a new home with one of our staff!).
Since the pandemic, a big challenge has been the lack of drivers, without whom we can’t make collections. You may have read in the news about the national shortage of LGV drivers which has made it hard to recruit new drivers. Another challenge sadly is the aggression we’ve found in society since the pandemic. We’ve had to call the police four times in the last year as a result of verbal or physical abuse against our operatives.
The most enjoyable thing about working in this team is our team spirit. And we really appreciate the many people we see when we’re out and about in Epsom & Ewell who smile at us and say hello.”
Democratic Services team
The Democratic Services team supported around 20,000 people to vote in the last local election.
“I manage the Democratic Services team at Epsom & Ewell Borough Council which is responsible for the management of the council’s committees, electoral registration in Epsom & Ewell, elections management and Councillor support services.
Elections are an interesting and exciting time for everyone in the borough, and a high-profile project for us. We begin planning around a year before the election, reserving a venue for the election count hall and venues where people will be able to vote. Last year this was at Epsom Racecourse.
We form a project plan and an election management team to oversee its implementation and ensure compliance with all legal and other requirements, and work with colleagues across the council to organise and run the election.
Borough council elections are perhaps the most complicated of the elections we run. Last year there were 135 candidates for 35 council seats across 14 different wards. Each ward had separate candidates, election agents and polling stations. It was imperative that across the voting and count periods that none of the ballot papers or information became mixed.
Nearly 59,000 polling cards and over 9,500 postal votes were sent out in advance of the polling day and around 20,000 ballot papers were counted. Last year's election also saw the introduction of voter ID for voters at polling stations for the first time, a significant change for the election management team to plan, communicate and implement.
Day to day, we maintain the Register of Electors, which contains the names and addresses of everyone eligible to vote at elections held in the borough and run elections in Epsom & Ewell. The register is updated every month when people move in or out of the borough but there is also an annual canvass to make sure that the register is as accurate as possible. The canvass involves contacting all residential properties in the borough (over 33,333 properties) by various methods to ensure the details on the Register are correct. In Electoral Services we receive registration applications and enquiries each day, both from the national portal and directly from local residents. At times, there will be several detailed and sensitive enquiries to manage, such as researching records from decades ago.
My team and I also support the five policy committees: the Community and Wellbeing Committee, Crime and Disorder Committee, Environment Committee, Licensing and Planning Policy Committee and the Strategy and Resources Committee as well as regulatory and audit committees, three advisory panels, and joint and sub-committees. These committees decide upon the strategy of the council, how public funds are allocated and how the council is run. We ensure that all public matters discussed at committee, and decisions, are available to view on our website; and that meetings are able to be run smoothly and broadcast live on YouTube, so that people can watch at home.”
- Tim, Democratic Services
Housing
The Housing team work with residents and partners to reduce homelessness within our borough. Arjan tells us more about his team's work;
“I’m the Strategic Housing Manager at Epsom & Ewell Borough Council. My team and I help people find accommodation when they need it, for example if a family find themselves to be homeless for any reason: perhaps they have been evicted without warning or are fleeing domestic violence. The main challenge we face is the shortage of affordable housing in our borough, particularly for families.
We work hard to find short-term accommodation solutions, like the Private Sector Lease scheme. We are also seeing increasing numbers of people with complex needs coming to us for support. We work with other agencies, like mental health services and adult social care, to find lasting solutions for people. We work strategically to prevent homelessness across Epsom & Ewell wherever possible, for example working with developers to maximise the number of affordable homes planned as part of new housing developments in the borough.
I also oversee the Home Improvement Agency which offers financial assistance to help people with disabilities or additional needs make changes to their home, so they can continue to live independently.
The dedication and skill of the team makes a huge difference to how we are able to help our customers. While I’ve been at Epsom & Ewell Borough Council we’ve worked across a huge range of different issues: from the Homes for Ukraine scheme, which helped place more than 120 people across the borough, to helping people stave off homelessness during the cost of living crisis.
What I enjoy most about my role is working with partners to find long-lasting housing solutions for people in Epsom & Ewell.”
- Arjan, Strategic Housing Manager