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Cabinet Member for Customer and Communities Decisions - Thursday, 29 May 2025 1.00 pm
May 29, 2025 View on council website Watch video of meeting Read transcript (Professional subscription required)Summary
In a meeting of the Cabinet Member for Customer and Communities Decisions, Surrey County Council agreed to fund the West Clandon Church Community Hub project via the Your Fund Surrey (YFS) scheme. The project will receive £412,400 for the construction of an annex to the church. This annex aims to provide modern kitchen facilities and a meeting space for community activities.
West Clandon Church Community Hub Project
The Cabinet Member for Customer and Communities agreed to fund the full amount requested of £412,400 (52% of the total project costs) for the West Clandon Church Community Hub project. The funding will be allocated as capital funding for the development of the annex, to be paid in stages upon evidence of spend, with 5% held by Surrey County Council until final evidence of income, expenditure, building control sign-off, and a completion report are provided. Legal Services has been authorised to seal the Funding Agreement.
The Church of St Peter and St Paul West Clandon is seeking funding from Your Fund Surrey for the construction of an annexe, which will provide modern kitchen facilities, accessible WCs and an additional meeting space, adjoining but separated from the church building, as these facilities do not currently exist.
The new annex will act as a central community hub to enhance existing community activities such as toddler groups and a Tuesday café for the elderly, as well as enabling new ones. The new activities proposed will support vulnerable groups who lack access to resources, such as the elderly facing loneliness and children from less affluent backgrounds. The idea has been developed in consultation with the local school who have highlighted the need for additional parenting support. The annexe will also be available to hire by local community groups.
The report notes that:
The village of West Clandon is a relatively affluent area, however there are pockets of deprivation with over 100 households (out of approximately 500) situated in two housing estates where 40.4% of homes have at least one measure of deprivation.
The church plans to expand its existing mini food bank which currently provides non-perishable food, toiletries and cleaning products. With the annexe, the offering will be extended to include a range of refrigerated foods.
The new annexe will aim to support the following weekly activities:
- Parents and wider community
- Workshops on budgeting for families
- Understanding phonics and maths for parents to be able to support their children
- Employment workshops including how to write CVs and practice interviews
- Household skills
- Legal advice clinics
- Expanded mini–Food Bank as outlined above to include refrigerated food
- Youth groups
- Toddler groups
- Elderly people
- Increasing the frequency of the Tuesday Cafe to help against isolation and loneliness which has been highlighted as an issue in the village
- Hearing Aid clinic. There is also a formal agreement with Clandon Good Neighbours volunteer driving scheme that their drivers will drive those in need to the annexe.
- Charities and community groups – offering meeting space at low cost or free of charge.
The report notes that West Clandon Church work in partnership with several local organisations, particularly Clandon Good Neighbours and Clandon Primary School. 47% of children from the local school come from deprived homes and 37% of all children are on pupil premium in the village. The school and parents have highlighted there is lack of suitable space and resources to assist parents in supporting their children’s education and wellbeing. The church and school are in close proximity and have been developing plans together to use the annexe to provide additional services and support to children and parents, helping vulnerable families with the hope of having a positive impact on the lives of children in the community. This includes providing help to parents with advice and support on how they can help their children with reading and maths, and practical support for parents such as CV writing, budgeting and meal planning.
The report also notes that the proportion of the population in Clandon and Horsley who are aged 80 or older is 34% higher than the Surrey average. The Village of West Clandon is of an unusual layout which has resulted in a number of residents feeling isolated and unable to access community spaces. The church run a monthly Tuesday Café and Hearing Aid clinic with up to 40 attendees each time. The success has encouraged them to plan smaller, but more frequent sessions to ensure people do not go as long without social interaction. They have a strong existing volunteer base to provide this service.
The West Clandon Royal British Legion and West Clandon Village Hall have both written to explain how the venues differ and complement each other, highlighting a collaborative approach to enhancing community facilities. The Royal British Legion appreciates the annexe as a complementary venue that will help manage the high demand for their function room, while the village hall trustees recognise the annexe's potential to offer a more intimate and discreet environment for specific community initiatives.
The church has received an Eco Church silver award for their efforts in promoting environmental sustainability and in reducing their carbon footprint. As part of the planned works to the building, they will be installing a ground source heat pump to make their heating system more efficient and the annexe will be insulated, and all lighting will be provided by low energy LED bulbs.
The Public reports pack Thursday 29-May-2025 13.00 Cabinet Member for Customer and Communities Decisi states that the benefits of the project include:
- Creating extended community spaces and opportunities for local people
- Make the most of the existing volunteer base
- Offering affordable community spaces to hire for local groups
- Reducing isolation for the elderly
- Providing warm and accessible spaces for groups to meet
The application has also benefited from a significant number of letters from volunteers and various organisations and groups, including letters of support from:
- Volunteers
- West Clandon Royal British Legion
- West Clandon Village Hall
- West Clandon Parish Council
- Newlands CofE School Federation, National Trust
- Clandon C of E Primary School PTFA
- Parents that have children attending Clandon C of E Primary School
- Home Counties Carers
- Clandon Good Neighbours
- West Clandon Bellringers
- Bupa (Ashley Park)
- Action For Carers Surrey
- The Bishop of Dorking
The project was discussed by the YFS Advisory Panel on 11 March 2025. All members of the Advisory Panel were supportive of the application and the benefits it would bring to the community.
The report also notes a number of risks and mitigations:
- Archaeological investigation unearths significant material and takes longer than planned. Mitigation: Project plan includes a four-month window within which archaeological study will be conducted. The study will be done before building work starts. Extra costs will be covered within contingency.
- Contracted builder goes out of business during the build. Mitigation: Following best practice procurement processes including due diligence on financial status of builders. Paying in arrears for certified work. Contingency of 10% on total costs.
- The annexe is not used as per applicants aims. Mitigation: Regular performance reviews against the stated outcomes. Applicant will continue to seek input from users and modify the offerings as necessary to maximise the value to beneficiaries.
The project has applied for £412,400 which equates to 52% of the overall project costs. The remaining monies needed for the project have been raised or are expected from various sources.
The report notes that the council continues to operate in a very challenging financial environment and that local authorities across the country are experiencing significant budgetary pressures.
The report also notes that the funding request is for the construction of an annexe to the existing Church building, which will provide facilities including kitchen facilities, an accessible WC and a meeting space, which are not currently available at the Church and will be available to the wider community. The project is a larger investment by YFS at £412k, which constitutes just over half of the total project cost. The risk is mitigated by the funding agreement, under which funds will be released in stages on satisfying relevant criteria. The balance of the funding has been secured and confirmed by the applicant. The project has limited additional ongoing future costs, and any such costs will be met by from rental income or donations. The applicant has shared recent financial statements that demonstrate a track record of securing this level of income.
The report concludes that the subsidy can therefore be lawfully given to the recipient and appropriate wording will be included in the Grant Agreement to reflect this.
[Denise Turner-Stewart, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Customer and Communities] noted that following approval of the funding, a notice of the records of decisions taken will be published within 3 days of the decision being made.
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