Skip to content

Community Assets Consultation Bagshot & Lightwater - Phase 3

About this consultation
From April 2027, Surrey Heath Borough Council and Surrey County Council will be replaced by a new West Surrey Unitary Authority. At the same time, Windlesham will become a separate parish council, meaning the current Windlesham Parish Council will become Bagshot & Lightwater Parish Council.

This consultation is therefore specifically for residents of Bagshot and Lightwater.

As part of the local government reorganisation process, Surrey Heath Borough Council is offering the Parish Council the opportunity to take on responsibility for a number of local assets within Bagshot and Lightwater.

As the Parish Council transitions, Members want to ensure that local assets continue to provide the best possible benefit for our communities. The assets being considered include many of the everyday features that contribute to the appearance, character and enjoyment of our villages, such as grass verges, benches, litter bins, bus shelters and play areas, as well as land and buildings used for community purposes.

The Council is ambitious for the future and wants to protect and enhance local services and facilities. Bringing assets under Parish Council ownership could provide greater local control, with decisions about their future management, maintenance and improvement made closer to the communities they serve.

If these assets are not transferred to the Parish Council, responsibility for them will transfer to the new Unitary Authority on 1 April 2027. This could mean that management and maintenance are prioritised alongside services across a wider area, rather than being based solely on local needs.

Taking on these assets would, however, also bring additional responsibilities and costs. Before any decisions are made, we want to understand what matters most to residents and whether the potential community benefits of local ownership justify the additional responsibilities and costs involved.
What assets are being considered?

The Parish Council is exploring the potential transfer of:

- Various grass verges and open spaces
- Two playgrounds, one at The Briars Community Centre in Lightwater and one at Albert Road in Bagshot
- Various benches, litter bins and bus shelters
- Two community buildings, Bagshot Pavilion and The Briars Community Centre in Lightwater. Both are currently operated by community organisations and this would not change.

A full list of the assets being considered can be viewed here: Asset List

Would the transfer of community buildings affect how they operate?

The existing lease arrangements for the community buildings would continue and would not be affected by whether or not the Parish Council takes ownership.

The consultation is therefore about the future ownership and local stewardship of these assets and does not propose changes to the way the community organisations currently occupying the buildings operate.

Why are we consulting?

The Council wants to understand residents’ views on whether local ownership of these assets could deliver greater benefit for the communities of Bagshot and Lightwater.

This could include keeping decisions local, protecting and enhancing community facilities and green spaces, responding to local priorities and providing opportunities for longer-term investment in assets that are important to our villages.

Taking ownership would also bring additional responsibilities for managing and maintaining the assets, together with additional costs. These costs would need to be funded through the parish precept, and increase the amount residents pay towards parish services through their Council Tax.

This consultation is your opportunity to share your views and help shape the Council’s decisions about the future of these local assets. Your feedback will help the Council balance the potential community benefits of local ownership against the additional responsibilities and costs involved.

Have your say below, please note this consultation closes on Sunday 29th November.
1.Do you support the Parish Council taking ownership of local assets for the benefit of Bagshot and Lightwater?
2.Which of the following types of asset do you think should be owned and managed locally by the Parish Council?

Please tick all that apply
3.Would you support an increase in the parish precept (the part of your Council Tax that goes towards funding the Parish Council) to fund the Parish Council taking on and managing local assets for community benefit?
4.The table below shows the potential annual increase according to your Council Tax band. Band D is used as the standard reference point, with the amounts payable by other bands calculated proportionately. If your home is in a different band, the amount you would pay will be higher or lower.

Council would like to understand the level of additional cost residents may consider acceptable if the parish council were to take on additional assets. It does not mean that any particular increase has been agreed.

Using this table, please indicate what level of increase in council tax you would be happy to accept to enable the Parish Council to take responsibility for assets transferred from SHBC.

Please note: The amounts shown relate only to the potential increase in the parish precept associated with taking on these assets. Council Tax charged by the future Unitary Authority will be determined separately by that authority. At this stage, it is not known whether the transfer of assets to the Parish Council would result in any corresponding reduction in the Council Tax requirement of the future Unitary Authority.

If you are unsure which Council Tax band applies to your property, please use the following link: https://www.gov.uk/council-tax-bands

5.Do you have any comments, suggestions or concerns about the proposed transfer of local assets?
About You
6.Which village do you live in?
7.Age group
Thank you for taking part. Your feedback will help the Parish Council make informed decisions about protecting and managing local assets for the benefit of Bagshot and Lightwater residents.

Consultation closes on Sunday 29th November.