Meet the Chief Executive

Chief Executive, Stephen Weigel, is the Council's most senior employee.

He is principal adviser to the 42 elected Councillors and head of the 365 staff.

He says: "I work closely with the Leader, Chairman of the Council, Committee Chairmen, other Councillors and my Management Team (senior managers from the Council's three departments). Each year, we work together to review the Council's key objectives.

I take a personal and active part in progressing partnerships with other agencies.

Through partnership working, the Council is able to exploit opportunities for external funding and more effective use of resources.

Examples include:

• The East Surrey Improvement Partnership with Mole Valley and Reigate & Banstead Councils (established to deliver higher quality, more efficient services through joint working).
• Progressing and further exploring joint working opportunities with other neighbouring Councils, including Sevenoaks and Croydon.
• A close working relationship with the South East Centre of Excellence based in the District Council Offices in Oxted, SECE is responsible for supporting the 74 local councils across the region to achieve efficiency savings.
• The Tandridge Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) comprising representatives of the public, voluntary, business and community sectors to set and review progress against the Tandridge Community Strategy.
• The East Surrey / West Sussex Forum - a partnership of districts and boroughs to address strategic issues of common concern.

I take a strategic lead on various corporate projects such as:

• Economic / social regeneration of Caterham Town Centre. The ABC community group (A Better Caterham) is helping us with this project by identifying improvements that local people would like for the town.
• Assisting and coordinating the opposition to the closure of the X ray facilities at Oxted Health Centre.
• Putting pressure on the owners of the Oxted Gas holder site to come forward with development proposals.

I also work to ensure that the Tandridge receives significant media coverage, both locally and nationally, so that, wherever possible, we receive financial and other support from external sources"