Green spaces could be owned by local communities

Tandridge District Council is preparing to hand over another six parks and public facilities

Some green spaces in Surrey could soon be looked after by the communities that make better use of them, a council has revealed.

Tandridge District Council is preparing to hand over another six parks and public facilities to parish councils and community groups as it continues its efforts to save money and keep spaces open, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Councillors gave the green light to move the process of handing over the community assets to the next legal stage at a Strategy & Resources Committee meeting on Thursday.

The transfers aim to cut the council's maintenance costs while letting local organisations run the spaces for the benefit of residents, the authority said.

Council documents state that all the organisations applying have shown they can manage the assets properly and for a clear community purpose.

The scheme began last year to understand the real cost of running public assets and to shift responsibility to a community group who can look after a space just as well, or better.

Some of the sites being transferred include the public toilets on Godstone Road and Mint Walk Recreation Ground in Warlingham.

So far, 19 groups have come forward wanting to take on 104 assets. Legal checks have been completed on most, and 47 transfers have already been signed off at previous meetings.

Asset valuations are still being finalised to ensure each one falls below the council's decision-making thresholds.

If any are valued too highly, they must go to full council for approval.

More transfers are likely to be confirmed in the new year as the council pushes to complete most of the programme by the end of 2025/26.

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