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Cabinet Member for Customer and Communities Decisions - Tuesday, 8 July 2025 3.30 pm
July 8, 2025 View on council website Watch video of meeting Read transcript (Professional subscription required)Summary
In a meeting held on 8 July 2025, Surrey County Council's Cabinet Member for Customer and Communities, Councillor Denise Turner-Stewart, approved full funding of £255,000 for Your Fund Surrey application for The Forge Community Hall and Scout Building in Epsom. The funding will support the renovation and extension of the building to create a modern and accessible community centre.
Your Fund Surrey Application: The Forge Community Hall and Scout Building, Epsom
Councillor Denise Turner-Stewart approved the full funding amount of £255,000 for the Your Fund Surrey (YFS) application for The Forge Community Hall and Scout Building. This funding is comprised of £255,000 of capital funding towards the building's development, to be paid in stages upon evidence of spending. A portion of 5% will be held by Surrey County Council (SCC) until final evidence of income, expenditure, and building control sign-off is provided. Legal Services has been authorised to seal the Funding Agreement.
The project aims to renovate and extend the building at the back of the existing Scout Hall, transforming an old garage into a large meeting room, kitchen, and toilets with disabled access. According to the Public Reports Pack, the expansion will enable different groups to meet simultaneously, increase the number of groups using the facility, and ensure accessibility for individuals with mobility issues.
The report recommending the approval stated that:
Officers consider the project meets the aims and published criteria of the fund and satisfies the requirements for award of funding.
The project addresses three key community needs: access to positive activities for the growing number of children and young people in Epsom and Ewell, facilities that are appropriately sized and accessible to a diverse range of individuals (particularly those with disabilities), and affordable and flexible facilities for community organisations and families.
The Your Fund Surrey application for the 3rd Epsom Scout Group noted that the Scout group has a waiting list of over 70 children, and there are only two community centres in the borough, one of which is closed. The existing hall is currently used seven evenings a week, and the existing small meeting room is used every weekday evening, and the new small hall will help meet the demand and provide a different offering in both size and price point to the two existing rooms.
The project received 195 comments via Have Your Say, and has also benefited from a significant number of signatures and supporting letters from local residents. Letters of support and feedback have been received from Helen Maguire, member of Parliament for Epsom and Ewell and Bernie Muir, County Councillor. The Divisional Councillor Bernie Muir fully supports the application. The YFS Advisory Panel unanimously recommended the project for the full amount requested.
The applicant has secured quotes that support their costing, and will ultimately be funded based on evidenced, actual spend, up to the amount awarded. The funding request is for the renovation and extension of a building to the rear of the current Scout Hall. This will provide improved and fit for purpose facilities to be used by a wide of community groups as well as the Scouts. The project is a medium-sized investment by YFS at £255k, which constitutes 59% of the total project cost. The budget includes a £52k (10%) contingency, and the risk to YFS is mitigated by the funding agreement whereby funds are released in stage payments on the evidence of spend. The majority of the balance of the funding has been secured by the applicant, with £50k yet to secured. The applicant has a detailed fundraising plan to support the securing of the remaining funds. The applicant generates a surplus annually with most of their income from subscriptions. This surplus is expected to continue with a small increase in income from the additional capacity able to cover any additional costs from increased usage.
The funding will be awarded as Minimal Financial Assistance (MFA) under the Subsidy Control Regime, as the funding does not exceed the £315,000 threshold within the applicable three financial year period1.
Procedural Items
The agenda for the meeting included items for declarations of interest, members' questions, public questions and petitions. The deadlines for questions and petitions had passed prior to the meeting.
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The Subsidy Control Regime is a set of rules and regulations that govern the granting of subsidies by public authorities in the UK. It aims to ensure that subsidies are used to promote economic growth and innovation, and that they do not distort competition or harm international trade. ↩
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