Questions and answers on community support

Cllr Mike Rollings, Leader, Elmbridge Borough Council commenting on Connected Communities

“The Community Services Transformation marks a positive step forward for Elmbridge. While some may attempt to distort the facts, the reality is clear: our community centres will be run by the community, for the community, with council support and oversight.

“No one will be left behind, and no centre will close under Elmbridge’s watch.

“These proposals are about more than today, they’re about securing a sustainable, inclusive future for community services and our residents in need as we transition into the new unitary council.”

What’s happening with the Community Support in Elmbridge?

We have spoken to our residents and community partners, we have analysed health and wellbeing data and as a result we are transforming community support in Elmbridge to reach more people in need, in a financially sustainable way.

Over the next 18 months, we are transforming our services into a model of community support that reaches more of our residents, including older people and those facing financial hardship, social isolation and mental health challenges that prevent residents from living well.

To achieve this we are,

enabling our Centres to be run by the community for the community.
introducing Local Area Coordinators to provide support to those most in need. They will create a complete support plan and make sure our most vulnerable residents are getting the help they need to live well.
supporting Community Connectors, trained local volunteers who will ensure residents are signposted to the support they need.

Why is this happening?

Our current model of support is dated and is not reaching enough of those in need in Elmbridge. We are helping less than 1% of the Elmbridge population, but nearly 12% of our residents are facing real challenges to living well.
We want to help more people in need in a financially sustainable way.
Around the country, the evidence is clear that a model of prevention and connection works – more people are supported, more people feel connected to their community and more people thrive. We want to help our community to live well.
As Surrey prepares for local government reorganisation, now is the time to make changes that support our community, strengthen connections, and ensure our services are financially sustainable.

What is the timescale for this change?

We are working on an 18-month transition timetable and will keep you fully updated on the programme as we progress.

What’s happening to the Centres?

The goal of our transformation is to facilitate a shift from a traditional day centre model for the elderly to vibrant new spaces where a more diverse range of residents can get the support they need to thrive.

Many of our borough’s community hubs (often supported financially by Elmbridge Borough Council but not run by Elmbridge), are stepping up to meet the changing needs of our residents.

Hubs such as Vital Village and the Elmbridge Eco Hub, are vibrant, inclusive spaces that go beyond traditional support. They welcome people of all ages and backgrounds, helping them feel connected, supported and well. We want to build on this strength, ensuring every resident has access to the kind of support they need.

In the months ahead, we want to enable more of these hubs to be run by the community for the community. In addition to financial support, we will run information and advice sessions to enable interested groups or individuals to come forward, express interest and work with us.

How long can I keep going to the Centres?

You can continue attending your regular Centre.

If agreed by Elmbridge Cabinet and Council in July, we are planning an 18 month transition of services.

For the centres, we will begin market engagement on community hubs in the next couple of months, it could then be another few months before new management structures are in place.

If you regularly attend a centre that moves to being a community hub, we will contact you and support you to attend another centre or that community hub which will be a welcoming and inclusive space for all in our community.

What’s happening to Meals on Wheels? 

On average approximately 141 residents receive a meal service from Elmbridge. These meals are produced by 5 of the Centres for the Community and delivered to residents across the borough, with a reliance on a volunteer workforce to deliver meals.

The residents receiving Meals on Wheels are often those with some of the most complex needs. It is important that they receive comprehensive support which responds not just to their immediate need for a warm meal but also recognises and responds to their wider needs such as loneliness and financial challenges.

As part of the 18-month transition plan, Local Area Coordinators will focus on working with people who get Meals on Wheels to create a complete support plan and make sure they’re getting the help they need to live well including connecting them with an alternative privately run service.

This Local Area Coordinator support will enable Elmbridge Borough Council to gradually wind-down direct delivery of the Meals on Wheels service in a way that makes sure no one is left without support.

What’s happening to Community Transport?

Through our community engagement it was clear that travel and public transport were key challenges to address in Elmbridge. Therefore, we will continue to deliver this service to enable our residents to travel to community hubs and to enable a thriving voluntary sector.

In the future, with local government reorganisation, there is the potential to align the community transport offer with wider transport provision in the Surrey area such as The East Surrey Rural Transport Partnership (ESTP), a charitable organisation working with local councils to provide local community transport and operate services in East Surrey and East Sussex areas or Surrey County Council’s Surrey Connect, an on-demand bus sharing services currently operating across North Surrey, Southwest Surrey, Central Surrey and East Surrey. 

What will happen to dementia services?

Dementia Services will continue to run its centre of excellence from the Claygate Centre for the Community while we transition to the new model.

In parallel, we are proposing £60,000 to explore the feasibility of transitioning the service into an independent entity, either as a charity or a Community Interest Company (CIC).

This highly valued service is the only facility providing support for people living with dementia in the borough and demand is growing. There are currently estimated to be 982,000 people with dementia in the UK, but more than a third of people with the condition do not have a diagnosis. The number is expected to rise to 1.4 million by 2040.

There are several benefits for considering this change, such as providing an opportunity for wider funding streams, which in turn will help to drive initiatives to further develop as a centre of excellence.

This work will allow Elmbridge Borough Council to make an informed decision on the most appropriate and effective future model for delivering dementia care services in Elmbridge.

Where will I go for my lunch?

As we transition you can continue to receive lunch as normal at the Centre of your choosing. With the community hubs, there will be potential for operators to offer a café but more fundamentally the Community Connectors will ensure residents are signposted to the support they need including local lunch offerings.

Can this transformation wait until the outcome of local government reorganisation?

Moving to this model means we can support more people in need, while being financially sustainable. This approach aligns with the goals of local government reorganisation, delivering better services, reaching more residents and reducing costs through smarter, more joined-up working.

This work places our residents in a stronger position ahead of the changes with local government reorganisation. Regardless of the government’s decision, more of our residents will be supported. Nearly 12% of our residents are facing real challenges to living well - young people, unpaid carers and low-income families for example.

This is a model that not only connects our community and focuses on community health and wellbeing but that also saves this council £1 million per year – essential as Surrey moves through local government reorganisation.

What will happen to the hairdressing and podiatry?

These services will continue during the transition to Connected Communities, when the centres become community hubs it will be the decision of those running the hub as to what services they offer local residents. We will continue working with the voluntary sector and our residents to co-design and co-produce services that truly reflect the needs, hopes, and strengths of our community.

Do you still need volunteers?

Yes. As we transition our volunteers remain important and going forward we want to unlock the power of local volunteers. By commissioning a trusted local voluntary sector organisation, we can:

empower the voluntary sector with expert support and training, helping local groups grow stronger and more effective.
attract new funding into the borough, bringing in vital resources that benefit our communities.
train and support local volunteers to become Community Connectors - trusted local champions who help residents find the right support at the right time.

This allows us not only to help more people in need in Elmbridge but it and invests in the people who give their time to make a difference.

What will happen to Men in Sheds?

We will enable the Cobham Men in Sheds and any future group running the Cobham centre to hopefully work together in the shared interests of both Men in Sheds and the local community. We want to see the centres transformed into vibrant community hubs reflecting the needs of local residents.

Can the volunteers run the Centres?

Through the community hub model, we are actively encouraging charities and voluntary groups to run the centres and bringing forward their vision for vital, inclusive community hubs supporting the local community they serve. Vital Village in Thames Ditton and the Elmbridge Eco Hub are both wonderful examples of this.

We have always been incredibly proud and supportive of local community groups and charities in Elmbridge. Our local voluntary sector is outstanding. For years, they have supported individuals who may have fallen through the gaps in traditional services. By deepening our collaboration with them, we can better understand and remove the barriers that prevent people from accessing the help they need.

Can we still hire the Centre?

Current hiring arrangements will continue, and we will contact hirers directly to discuss their arrangements as we progress with Connected Communities.

We have conducted a mapping exercise of Elmbridge Community Buildings which details 112 community buildings in Elmbridge providing space for public hire and/or put on activities for groups to meet, socialise and find support. It also highlights the capacity that these buildings have; namely, that the majority have availability on most days of the week for extra hiring, activities and group meetings to take place there. Through this work, we will support our hirers in finding alternative hiring options if needed.

Additionally, the hirers can work with the groups who will run the community hubs to make arrangements directly.

Will the repair café stop at the Walton Centre?

We will enable the Walton repair cafe and any future group running the Walton centre to hopefully work together in the shared interests of both the centre/café and the local community. We want to see the centres transformed into vibrant community hubs reflecting the needs of local residents.

Will we still have special lunches?

Special lunches will continue at the Centres as we transition to Connected Communities. The activity programme for July and August is available at the Centres.

Can I still use the gym or go to classes at the Centres?

Yes, as we transition to Connected Communities the Centres activities will continue.

What services will the new centres offer?

Community hubs will be shaped by the vision of those running them and the needs of local residents. We expect hub leaders to actively engage with their communities and adapt their services to reflect local priorities and needs.

Will the day trips restart?

We don’t expect day trips to be part of the Centre for the Community offering as we transition to Connected Communities. In the new model our transport and local area coordinators would be able to support the voluntary sector in running activities like this.

I am interested in creating a community hub in Elmbridge – how do I express interest?

Please email communications@elmbridge.gov.uk in the first instance and we will inform you when we begin the community hub market engagement. The process is set out below.

To ensure a transparent, inclusive and well-supported process for developing our Community Hub model, we will implement a structured engagement approach designed to encourage participation and empower community-led proposals.

If you received more funding, could the Centres stay open as they are?

The figures are clear that Elmbridge spends more on community services than its neighbouring boroughs and districts. Elmbridge’s spend is £4.2 million compared to between £1 to 2.5 million in other Surrey councils. That service model no longer works as we only help less than 1% of our residents. With the continued pressures on councils, that model of delivery is financially unsustainable whether the service is discretionary or statutory.

This is why councils around the country such as Oldham, Leeds and Thurrock, have already adopted the model of prevention and connection, allowing more people to be supported, more people to feel connected to their community and more people thrive.

Can there be dedicated day(s) at the community hubs for older people?

The offering at the community hubs will reflect the vision of the groups or individuals running them and the needs of the local community. We expect them to engage with the local residents and to adapt their offering to the needs of the community.

My parent will be stuck at home now because of these changes.

We will establish a team of Local Area Coordinators to provide support to those most in need. Their role will be to create a complete support plan including access to community hubs and activities to make sure our most vulnerable residents are getting the help they need to live well.

How will the local area coordinators work?

We will establish a team of Local Area Coordinators to provide support to those most in need. This support will create a complete support plan and make sure our most vulnerable residents are getting the help they need to live well.

For example, Thurrock Council’s Local Area Coordination (LAC) model supports people to stay connected by focusing on early help, personalised support and community involvement. Coordinators work alongside individuals to build on their strengths and link them with local resources.

What will the community connectors do?

Community Connectors will be trained local volunteers who will ensure residents are signposted to the support they need.

For example, in Leeds during COVID, the Community Champions programme trained local residents to share trusted health information within their communities, using their cultural knowledge and networks to improve access and understanding.

Who can I complain to?

Our website sets out the process of complaints for Elmbridge Borough Council. We ask that consideration is shown to our employees at the Centres.

What if no one wants to take over the centres? Will the council then continue to run their service as is?

We will launch a wide-reaching market engagement exercise to give local community groups and residents the opportunity to bring their vision for vibrant, inclusive community hubs to life.

If no suitable proposals come forward, we will continue to operate the Centres while focusing on the core aim of this transformation programme: reaching and supporting more people in a financially sustainable way. We will also continue exploring new approaches to help us achieve this goal.

Can you run the service with 2/3 Centres and change the others?

We have assessed a hybrid option which looks at whether two centres could be enhanced, with a focus on older people. However, the option does not meet our aims of supporting more people in a financially sustainable way. This option would be more expensive than the current service.

Won’t this just put more work on charities / voluntary sector groups who are already stretched?

We have worked closely with the voluntary sector in Elmbridge throughout this process to better understand where support is most needed.

Their insight has been invaluable and they support the Connected Communities approach, recognising the growing challenges faced by residents, particularly around financial hardship, social isolation and mental health.

We have always been proud of the outstanding work of our local community groups and charities. For years, they’ve stepped into support those who might otherwise be overlooked by traditional services. By strengthening our partnership with them, we can break down barriers and ensure more people get the help they need, when and where they need it.

Are you and Surrey doubling up work by both having Local Area Coordinators?

Surrey’s Local Area Coordinators do not cover Elmbridge. They are in Woking, Spelthorne, Waverley, Tandridge and Surrey Heath. We will fill this gap with our own Local Area Coordinators who will support and signpost our residents to the help they need to live well in our community.

What will happen to all the hard-working centre staff?

During this period of transformation, we are speaking to our employees about the uncertainty change can bring. We are committed to approaching this transition with empathy, transparency, and care. Whilst some roles may evolve and new ones emerge, there will be redundancies, and our priority is to support our employees through this transformation.

How many people are being made redundant?

We understand that questions about redundancies can cause concern. At this stage, whilst we are sharing as much information as we can with employees who might be affected by the proposal, formal consultation is yet to commence. A final decision regarding the number of roles affected will be made once the consultation with our employees has concluded. Our priority is to handle any changes with transparency, compassion and support for all involved.

For more information see connected communities