Woking Borough Council has been awarded the prestigious Platinum Award for excellence in address data management at the 2025 GeoPlace Exemplar Awards - national recognition of the council’s outstanding commitment to high-quality data in its Local Land and Property Gazetteer (LLPG).

The award was presented at the GeoPlace Annual Conference in London, which brought together more than 450 public sector data and service delivery professionals. 

Clean clothes, rags, shoes and home textiles can simply be placed into a small clean bag, tied at the top, and placed next to your rubbish or recycling bin each week. Recycling your clothes and textiles is better for the planet and saves money!

Please do not put your items in a black bin bag or inside your bins.

If your items are in good condition they may be reused. Otherwise, they will be recycled or repurposed by being made into stuffing or loft insulation.

The council’s 2024/2025 TSMs, which are compiled annually and reported to the Regulator of Social Housing, show an overall improvement in tenant satisfaction, which has risen to 58.2%, and improvements across all 12 perception measures, most notably in the areas of housing repairs, maintenance, and feeling informed.  

The two by-elections will take place on Thursday 10 July 2025, with polling stations open from 7am to 10pm.

Poll cards for both by-elections will be issued to registered voters in the coming weeks. Residents living in the Hoe Valley ward and Woking South division are able to vote.

Details of the candidates standing for election will be published following the close of nominations.

After a year as Woking’s Deputy Mayor, Cllr Boote is excited to get started in her new role, meet local volunteers and celebrate the great work that goes on in Woking communities.

Born and raised in the Cheshire and Warwickshire countryside, Cllr Boote has a deep-rooted appreciation for nature and green spaces which is reflected in her hobbies and work.

Having been a Byfleet resident for over 25 years, Cllr Boote says that her community work “gives her a sense of belonging” as she initially got involved in politics to connect with her local area.

I want to talk a little bit this evening about the past and then about the present and the future.

Past situation

I don’t want to keep harking on about the past. I want to live in the present and look to the future. But the legacy of the past left by previous administrations hangs over us every day. It’s there when a small local charity reaches out to me and asks about funding opportunities.

I have to say I’m sorry, there is no money.

Cllr Amanda Boote has been elected Mayor of Woking 2025-2026 at the official Mayor Making ceremony held yesterday evening (Monday 19 May), in the Council Chamber.

After a year as Woking’s Deputy Mayor, Cllr Boote is excited to get started in her new role, meet local volunteers and celebrate the great work that goes on in Woking communities.

Born and raised in the Cheshire and Warwickshire countryside, Cllr Boote has a deep-rooted appreciation for nature and green spaces which is reflected in her hobbies and work.

Kawther has dedicated thousands of hours volunteering in Woking, most notably with Woking People of Faith where she has stepped up to help them with their day-to-day operations.

The mayor was also particularly impressed with Kawther’s efforts promoting health and wellbeing amongst Muslim women who may face cultural or practical barriers to access mainstream fitness services.

By organising women-only fitness sessions, Kawther created safe and empowering spaces that encourage physical activity, social connection and self-confidence.

In response to the announcement that Greenfield School and Hoe Bridge School will merge, Woking Borough Council has issued the following statement regarding the outstanding loan owed to the council by Greenfield School.

Cllr Dale Roberts, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Finance and Economy, said: “Whilst I welcome the planned merger between Greenfield and Hoe Bridge schools, we have been clear that all existing contractual obligations, including the repayment of outstanding loans to Greenfield School, must be honoured in full.

Local voluntary and community groups are being invited to express their interest in taking on the management of West Byfleet Pavilion, helping to safeguard the valued community space for future generations.

Located in the heart of West Byfleet Recreation Ground, the pavilion offers flexible indoor space suitable for a variety of community uses, alongside access to outdoor sports pitches and green space. 

Freedom Leisure is proud to announce that all of its leisure centres in Woking have achieved the highest possible rating following recent inspections by Environmental Health Officers (EHO). Each site received a coveted 5-star food hygiene rating, reflecting the organisation’s commitment to safety, cleanliness, and excellence in service.

Today (Friday 9 May), district and borough councils in Surrey have submitted proposals to government outlining their vision for the future of local government in Surrey. 

Nine district and borough councils support the formation of three unitary councils (Epsom & Ewell, Guildford, Reigate & Banstead, Runnymede, Spelthorne, Surrey Heath, Tandridge, Waverley and Woking) while two district and borough councils (Elmbridge and Mole Valley) and the county council favour two. Both proposals are published on council websites.