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 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 at Botley Hill, in the North Downs near Oxted, to 42 m near Edenbridge.

History

The 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: The new district was named after the medieval Tandridge Hundred, which had covered a similar area. 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. 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. 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.

Governance

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.

Political control

The 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:

Leadership

The leaders of the council since 2007 have been:

Composition

Following the 2024 election, the composition of the council is: The twelve Residents Association councillors sit with the Oxted and Limpsfield Residents Group as the "Residents' Alliance" which forms the council's administration. The next election is due 7 May 2026.

Premises

The 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.

Elections

Since 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.

Parishes

The 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. None of Tandridge's parish councils are styled as a "town council". The Royal Mail classes Caterham, Godstone, Lingfield, Oxted, Warlingham, and Whytleafe as post towns. 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. One chapel in Limpsfield ecclesiastical parish and civil parish has no adjoining settlement, in Staffhurst Wood.

Arms