Community day centres to reopen four days a week

The Molesey Centre in Bishop Fox Way was only open on Fridays

Day centres which were shut in Surrey in November are to reopen for four days a week.

Elmbridge Borough Council closed its community centres for fire safety checks and staff training before reopening one day a week in February.

Residents previously called on the borough council to fully reopen the centres, which were accessible five days a week, saying the closures were a "loss for our whole community".

From April 29, all the Centres for the Community will be open on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, from 10:00 BST to 15:00.

The centres in Claygate, Cobham, Hersham, Molesey, Walton and Weybridge, which provide food, activities and socialisation for members, will be closed on Wednesdays to allow managers and staff to continue their training, planning and administration.

Additional resources worth £431,000 over 18 months has been invested into safety procedures and staffing levels, the council said.

“We will always strive to meet, if not exceed, these standards in all our Centres for the Community,” a spokesman said.

“However, as we gear up for the future, there may be times when we cannot open a centre safely or provide centre lunches due to staffing levels, and on these occasions, we will inform our centre users as soon as possible.”

The Meals on Wheels service provided by the centres will also continue to run seven days a week, while dementia services will run on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays at the Claygate and Walton Centres.

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