Mole Valley 14 Liberal Democrats, and 7 Independents (6 Ashtead Independents and 1 Beare Green Independent). There are no Labour, UKIP or Green Party councillors. Surrey County Council, elected every four years, obtains six representatives from this area: The district, named after the River Mole, was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, by a merger of the urban districts of Dorking and Leatherhead and most of the Dorking and Horley Rural District. A Legatum Prosperity Index published by the Legatum Institute in October 2016 showed Mole Valley as the second most prosperous council area in the United
River Mole fast swimming mayflies and riffle beetles. The beautiful demoiselle ("Calopteryx virgo") disappeared from the River Mole during the 1960s owing to deteriorating water quality, but has since recolonised. The white-legged damselfly ("Platycnemis pennipes") is also found along the river and the downy emerald ("Cordulia aenea") is found between Box Hill and Leatherhead. The Mole is one of only three locations in England where the river shingle beetle ("Meotica anglica") is found. A nationally scarce species which is locally common on the River Mole is the greater dodder ("Cuscuta europaea"). The Mole catchment area includes twelve Sites of Special Scientific Interest