Elmbridge Borough Council plans overhaul of community services
"At the moment our services are entirely focused on the elderly and we know that about 11.7% of people in Elmbridge are vulnerable or in need of some support and that is across a different demographic," Coates told BBC Radio Surrey.She said this included young people, unpaid carers, people from ethnic minority backgrounds, some without English as a first language, and working families.Residents previously voiced concerns when the running of Thames Ditton Community Centre was handed over to Vital Village.
The council could reduce its spending on community services by £1m each year under the proposed changes, but said there would be initial investment to support the transition period.Coates said the council would be "spending less but reaching more people"."That's not to say that we're going to stop supporting those people, they will remain very much of what we're doing, but it's broadening and helping more."
Alex Munro, the rector at St Peter's Church in West Molesey, said there were "big gaps" in those being supported in the community.The church and its partners offer support through homeless shelters, a foodbank and youth groups including working alongside the council."We're a last chance saloon for quite a lot of people," he said.The plans are due to be decided by the council's cabinet later this month.
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