A petition signed by more than 2,000 people pleading for an Epsom social centre to be saved was handed into the council last week, but will not necessarily prompt further debate.
Members of the Save The Wells Centre Epsom group protest at the centre in Spa Drive
Surrey County Councillor for Epsom West, Karan Persand, collected signatures from residents concerned about the future of the Wells Centre in Spa Drive, Epsom.
He handed his petition to Epsom and Ewell Borough Council on Friday, February 5.
From January 19: Epsom and Ewell Borough Council faces quicker and more savage Government cuts than expected
Residents’ Association councillors voted to “amalgamate” adult social services from the Wells Centre with the Longmead Centre in Sefton Road at a rebranded Epsom Centre in order to offset a “central Government cuts” at a full council meeting on Tuesday, December 8.
From December 10: "You should be ashamed": Epsom and Ewell Borough Council vote to move Wells Centre services despite 750 petition signatures
Cllr Persand said: “With a council election coming up next year, the RA will have to think twice about their decision on the Wells Centre.
“It would have a big effect on the public if they are not being listened to.”
From December 16: "The future is in their hands": Dispute erupts over fate of Wells Centre before services moved
Barry Murton from the Save the Wells Centre Facebook group said: “We have an ageing population and will have an even greater need for centres like the Wells.”
Rosemary Legg and Liz Landon with their homemade jams at the Wells Centre Christmas Bazaar in 2014
But the council’s legal team raised concerns about people signing the petition who live outside the borough and a lack of clarity over what it is petitioners want.
A council spokesman said: “Our requirement is that ‘it should clearly state what action the petitioners would like the council to take’ this is not the case.
“The name and address of anyone supporting the petition is shown – there is a very large percentage of names that either do not give surname and /or address.
“It is therefore the case that this petition would not automatically generate a council debate.
“However a decision on whether to have a debate on this subject has still to be made.”
What do you think? Get in touch at craig.richard@london.newsquest.co.uk
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