East Surrey Council: what the change in April 2027 means for Epsom businesses

Epsom is getting a new council. From 1 April 2027, Epsom & Ewell Borough Council stops running the bins, the licences and the business rates, and Surrey County Council stops running its services in this part of the county too. Both hand over to one new council, East Surrey Council. For most businesses in the town, that will change very little day to day, beyond a few links and listings that need updating.

Until April, nothing changes

The Surrey LGR Hub, Surrey's website for the changeover, says the existing councils carry on as normal until 1 April 2027, so keep contacting them exactly as you do now. A licence renewal or a business rates question this winter goes where it always has.

What happens then

Two new councils replace Surrey's eleven district and borough councils and the county council. East Surrey covers what are now Elmbridge, Epsom & Ewell, Mole Valley, Reigate & Banstead and Tandridge, and it takes on waste, planning, business rates, parks and roads, among other services. Its councillors were elected on 7 May 2026, and they're setting the new council up between now and April.

In September 2026 the government launched a national review of these council shake-ups, but Surrey County Council said on 7 September that Surrey's changes would not be affected and remained on track.

What about the markets?

Nothing has been announced about Epsom's markets ahead of the new council. The council's plan for the town centre, dated August 2024, says "The market is recognised as very important to the town centre", and that councillors want to do more to ensure its future success. That's a plan rather than a promise, but it's a plan in the market's favour.

If you run a business in Epsom

Three things are worth getting ready before April.

• Links to council pages. List every link on your website to a licence, a street trading consent, a parking page or a planning decision, and check each one once the new council's website is live.
• Paperwork and listings that name the council. Terms, licence details and directory entries may need a light edit after April.
• Who your new councillors are. The changeover website lists them, and local groups such as Go Epsom and the Epsom Business Club are a good way to be heard. If you're not in one yet, the trick is choosing which local networks are worth your time, because nobody has time for all of them.

Whoever runs the council, some help is open now, and business support in Surrey in 2026 lists what. Getting found by customers nearby doesn't depend on the council at all, and that's what our marketing for businesses in Surrey and South West London is about.