Community centres given to charity in savings drive

Two council-owned community centres worth up to £1.8m are to be transferred to charity control in an effort to save money and protect services.

Elmbridge Borough Council said it would hand over the freehold to the Walton and Cobham Centres for the Community to the Walton Charity as part of a wider overhaul of support services.

The council is aiming to save £1m and reach more residents after a review found its existing community services were financially unsustainable and reached less than 1% of the population, despite accounting for 20% of its budget.

A similar deal previously saw the Molesey Centre handed over to St Peter's West Molesey church, which will now run it from May.

Under the approved plans, the Walton Charity will take full ownership of the two buildings for a nominal, "peppercorn" fee.

It will also receive a £30,000 grant to help deliver community services, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

In return, the charity is expected to invest about £200,000 into the buildings, provide £180,000 of funding towards services over the next three years, and deliver expanded community services, including family support, food programmes and youth provision.

Council reports state safeguards have been built into the deal, including a legal requirement to keep the buildings in community use and the ability to reclaim the properties if terms are breached and buy them back for £1.

The Walton Charity said it would turn the centres into more accessible, joined-up community hubs.

In Cobham, services will be run through a new Cobham Community Coalition, bringing together local organisations including Oasis Charity and Cobham Area Foodbank, coordinated by the Walton Charity.

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