Issues and SWOT: Surrey Heath

strength

Keep the new accessible toilet reliable

Camberley’s Changing Places facility has opened.

Reliable access can make longer visits possible.

Evidence

strength

Bring support closer to people in poor health

3.2% of people reported bad or very bad health in Surrey Heath council area (21 March 2021). Across England, the figure was 5.2%. People reporting bad or very bad health ranged from 2% in Heatherside to 4.9% in Old Dean — a gap of 2.9 percentage points.

This is how residents described their health in the census. It can reveal differences between neighbourhoods, but does not diagnose illness or measure current waiting times. Age profiles differ between places, so these shares do not measure service quality.

strength

Connect local skills to local opportunities

39.2% of people aged 16 or over had a degree or equivalent (21 March 2021) in Surrey Heath council area. Across England, the figure was 33.9%. People aged 16+ with no qualifications ranged from 8.4% in Heatherside to 21.1% in Old Dean — a gap of 12.6 percentage points.

Qualifications show one part of the skills available locally. They do not show whether people have secure jobs or work that uses those skills.

weakness

Remove the outdoor barriers identified in Mytchett

The funded scheme addresses uneven, inaccessible surfaces.

People should be able to use outdoor activity space independently where possible.

Evidence

weakness

Make room for homes people can afford

Average private rent is £1,503 a month (August 2026) in Surrey Heath council area. This is £44 higher than the England average for the same month. Homes rented privately ranged from 8.7% in Old Dean to 36.7% in Town — a gap of 28 percentage points.

Housing costs matter most alongside earnings and the number of affordable homes available. A local average cannot tell us whether a particular household can afford its home.

opportunity

Move the cleared London Road site towards useful development

Demolition is complete.

The next benefit depends on a deliverable scheme.

Evidence

opportunity

Plan homes and care around an older population

19.7% of people in Surrey Heath council area were aged 65 or over (21 March 2021). People aged 65 or over ranged from 14.8% in St Michaels to 24.7% in Lightwater — a gap of 9.9 percentage points.

Age alone does not mean poor health or a need for care. Accessible homes, reliable transport and support close to home matter as people get older.

opportunity

Target safety work where problems repeat

Mapped police records are available for neighbourhoods in Surrey Heath council area.

Published locations are approximate and some crimes are not mapped. Counts show recorded incidents, not the chance of an individual becoming a victim.

opportunity

Turn published plans into visible progress

4 named local projects or plans have official evidence in this collection.

A published plan makes responsibilities and intentions easier to inspect. It does not prove that funding is secured or that promised benefits have arrived.

opportunity

Target support where disadvantages overlap

Households facing two or more measured disadvantages ranged from 5.2% in St Pauls to 22.7% in Old Dean — a gap of 17.4 percentage points.

These households met at least two census conditions covering education, employment, health and housing. This is not an income or poverty measure.

threat

Prevent renewed facilities falling back into disrepair

Old Dean’s sports surface needs replacement.

A durable repair still needs continuing upkeep.

Evidence