Tandridge is a local government district in east Surrey, England. Its council is based in Oxted, although the largest settlement is Caterham; other notable settlements include Warlingham, Godstone and Lingfield. In mid-2019, the district had an estimated population of 88,129.
Tandridge District | |
|---|---|
 Caterham, the largest town in Tandridge | |
| Motto(s): Concordia (Latin: Harmony) | |
 Tandridge shown within Surrey | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Constituent country | England |
| Region | South East England |
| Non-metropolitan county | Surrey |
| Status | Non-metropolitan district |
| Admin HQ | Oxted |
| Incorporated | 1 April 1974 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Non-metropolitan district council |
| • Body | Tandridge District Council |
| • Leadership | Alternative - Sec.31 |
| • MPs | Claire Coutinho |
| Area | |
| • Total | 95.8 sq mi (248.2 km2) |
| • Rank | 134th (of 296) Highest point : Botley Hill |
| Population (2022) | |
| • Total | 88,707 |
| • Rank | 268th (of 296) |
| • Density | 930/sq mi (360/km2) |
| Ethnicity (2021) | |
| • Ethnic groups | |
| Religion (2021) | |
| • Religion | List
|
| Time zone | UTC0 (GMT) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (BST) |
| ONS code | 43UK (ONS) E07000215 (GSS) |
| OS grid reference | TQ3954252860 |
Tandridge borders the Borough of Reigate and Banstead to the west, the London Borough of Croydon to the north, the London Borough of Bromley to the north-east, the Sevenoaks District of Kent to the east, the Wealden District of East Sussex to the south-east, the Mid Sussex District of West Sussex to the south and the Borough of Crawley, also in West Sussex, to the south-west.
The district contains parts of the North Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the Weald. It also contains several woodlands and some open heathland. Elevations above sea level range from 267 m (876 ft) at Botley Hill, in the North Downs near Oxted, to 42 m (138 ft) near Edenbridge.[2]
History
editThe district was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972. The new district covered the whole area of two former districts, which were both abolished at the same time:[3]
The new district was named after the medieval Tandridge Hundred, which had covered a similar area.[4][5] From the seventeenth century onwards, hundreds gradually declined in importance as administrative divisions, with their functions passing to other bodies such as the county courts. The final administrative functions of hundreds had been extinguished in 1886.[6] The Tandridge hundred was named after the hillside village and ridge of the North Downs, Tandridge.
The vast majority of the district is covered by the Metropolitan Green Belt to prevent extension of the London urban area.[7]
The district is not currently twinned, but one of its towns, Lingfield, is twinned with Plaisance-du-Touch, a commune on the outskirts of Toulouse, France.[8]
Governance
editTandridge District Council | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| History | |
| Founded | 1 April 1974 |
| Leadership | |
Catherine Sayer, OLRG since 27 May 2021 | |
David Ford since 21 June 2021[10] | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 43 councillors |
 | |
Political groups |
|
| Elections | |
Last election | 2 May 2024 |
Next election | 7 May 2026 |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| Council Offices, Station Road East, Oxted, RH8 0BT | |
| Website | |
| www | |
Tandridge District Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Surrey County Council. The whole district is also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.[11]
Political control
editThe council has been under no overall control since 2019. It has been led since 2021 by a minority administration comprising local party the Oxted and Limpsfield Residents Group (OLRG) and some of the independent councillors.
The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new arrangements came into effect on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows:[12][13]
| Party in control | Years | |
|---|---|---|
| Conservative | 1974–1990 | |
| No overall control | 1990–1994 | |
| Conservative | 1994–1995 | |
| No overall control | 1995–2000 | |
| Conservative | 2000–2019 | |
| No overall control | 2019–present | |
Leadership
editThe leaders of the council since 2007 have been:[14]
| Councillor | Party | From | To | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gordon Keymer | Conservative | pre-2007 | 8 May 2016 | |
| Martin Fisher | Conservative | 26 May 2016 | 5 May 2019 | |
| Tony Elias | Conservative | 21 May 2019 | 27 May 2021 | |
| Catherine Sayer | OLRG | 27 May 2021 | ||
Composition
editFollowing the 2024 election, the composition of the council is:[15]
| Party | Councillors | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | 12 | |
| OLRG | 8 | |
| RA total | 20
| |
| Liberal Democrats | 11 | |
| Conservative | 7 | |
| Independent | 5 | |
| Total | 43 | |
The twelve Residents Association councillors sit with the Oxted and Limpsfield Residents Group as the "Residents' Alliance" which forms the council's administration.[16] The next election is due 7 May 2026.
Premises
editThe council is based at the Council Offices on Station Road East in Oxted (the building is actually in the parish of Limpsfield). The building was purpose-built for the council in 1989 on the site of the old Godstone Rural District Council's headquarters.[17]
Elections
editSince the last boundary changes in 2024, the council has comprised 43 councillors representing 18 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held three years out of every four, with roughly a third of the council elected each time to serve a four-year term. Surrey County Council elections are held in the fourth year of the cycle when there are no district council elections.[18]
Parishes
editThe entire district is divided into civil parishes. The former Caterham and Warlingham Urban District was an unparished area until 2000, when six parishes were created covering that area: Caterham-on-the-Hill, Caterham Valley, Chaldon, Warlingham, Whyteleafe and Woldingham.[19] None of Tandridge's parish councils are styled as a "town council".[20] The Royal Mail classes Caterham, Godstone, Lingfield, Oxted, Warlingham, and Whytleafe as post towns.
| Town, village or neighbourhood | Parish 1 | Parish 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Bletchingley which includes South Park, Brewer Street and Warwick Wold | Bletchingley | |
| Burstow which includes Smallfield** and Weatherhill | Burstow | |
| Caterham | Caterham on the Hill | Caterham Valley |
| Chaldon | Chaldon | |
| Chelsham | Chelsham and Farleigh | |
| Crowhurst | Crowhurst | |
| Dormansland which includes Dormans Park and Haxted | Dormansland | |
| Farleigh which includes Fickleshole | Chelsham and Farleigh | |
| Felbridge which includes Domewood | Felbridge | |
| Godstone which includes South Godstone*, Tyler's Green, Church Town, Tilburstow and Blindley Heath* | Godstone | |
| Horne which includes Newchapel and Whitewood | Horne | |
| Limpsfield which includes Limpsfield Chart*, Paines Hill and Langhurst | Limpsfield | |
| Lingfield which includes Felcourt | Lingfield | |
| Outwood | Outwood | |
| Oxted which includes Hurst Green* and Holland | Oxted | |
| Nutfield which includes South Nutfield* and Ridge Green | Nutfield | |
| Tandridge which includes Crowhurst Lane End | Tandridge | |
| Tatsfield | Tatsfield | |
| Titsey | Titsey | |
| Warlingham which includes Hamsey Green* | Warlingham | |
| Whyteleafe | Whyteleafe | |
| Woldingham which includes Woldingham Garden Village | Woldingham | |
Each civil parish is named after one of its towns or villages which has been established around an Anglican church. All other settlements/neighbourhoods with their own Anglican church or chapel and therefore traditionally in England defined as "a village" are marked with an asterisk. A double asterisk indicates the locality has a church hall used as a Church of England church.[22] One chapel in Limpsfield ecclesiastical parish and civil parish has no adjoining settlement, in Staffhurst Wood.
Arms
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See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Tandridge Local Authority (E07000215)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
- ^ Local Authority Map. Accessed 2012-04-23
- ^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 31 May 2023
- ^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1973/551, retrieved 31 May 2023
- ^ "Tandridge Hundred". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
- ^ Riot (Damages) Act 1886 (49 & 50 Vict. c. 38), s.2
- ^ London Green Belt Council http://londongreenbeltcouncil.org.uk/threats_map/
- ^ District Council link to external website. Accessed 2012-04-23
- ^ "New Chair of the Council elected for 2024-2025". Tandridge District Council. 23 May 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
- ^ O'Brien, Christy (30 March 2021). "Tandridge District Council appoints first permanent chief exec since 2019". In Your Area. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
- ^ "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 31 May 2023
- ^ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
- ^ "Tandridge". BBC News Online. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
- ^ "Council minutes". Tandridge District Council. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
- ^ "Tandridge election result". BBC News. 3 May 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
- ^ "Your councillors by political grouping". Tandridge District Council. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
- ^ "We are coming to Oxted". Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser. 4 May 1989. p. 42. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
We will be moving into the offices in July...
- ^ "The Tandridge (Electoral Changes) Order 2024", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2024/139, retrieved 22 July 2024
- ^ "The Tandridge (Parishes) Order 1999" (PDF). Local Government Boundary Commission for England. The National Archives. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
- ^ "Parish Councils". Tandridge District Council. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
- ^ Map created by Ordnance Survey, courtesy of English Heritage
- ^ Church of England website - ecclesiastical parish finder
- ^ "Tandridge District Council (Surrey)". Civic Heraldry of England. Retrieved 31 May 2022.