Infrastructure Delivery Plan (Feb 2013) - Runnymede Borough Council

14.77 Community Transport: Runnymede Council’s Community Transport scheme provides
easily accessible minibuses for residents of the Borough so enabling children and
adults with physical or learning disabilities to get to schools, day centres, health
appointments and social activities. The services on offer are detailed within the
community transport section earlier in this document.
14.78 Community Alarm (Careline Service): RBC provides a specially developed, simple to
use alarm system, which offers security to those most at risk, and peace of mind to the
relatives and friends of those living alone. RBC also offers Telecare, providing monitors
and sensors for a broad range of needs, for example bed sensors, smoke detectors, pill
dispensers and fall detectors. The cost of this system is £4.70 per week (at April 2012)
for the basic alarm unit plus any Telecare equipment. This service enables elderly
residents of the Borough to remain in their own homes and retain their independence
rather than moving into nursing or residential care. This is in line with the strategic shift
of SCC from residential care to supporting people in the community. Such a shift can
only be achieved with such initiatives in place.
14.79 Independent Retired Living (IRL): Independent Retired Living (IRL) (formerly known
as Sheltered Housing) is a provision of unfurnished, self-contained dwellings designed
with the needs of older people in mind. RBC offers five schemes within the Borough:
• Beomonds, Chertsey
• Floral House, Chertsey
• Grove Court, Egham
• Heatherfields, New Haw, Addlestone
• Darley Dene Court, Addlestone
14.80 All IRL residents share the same rights as those living in the community, but also have
the additional support of an on site, dedicated manager and alarm systems which can
used in the case of an emergency 24 hours a day 365 days a year. To be eligible for
this scheme, residents must be on the housing register and fulfill a number of
requirements that are based on the level of need. For those retired residents who are
financially better off, there are private schemes within the Borough. Residential, nursing
and sheltered housing provision in the Borough is detailed further in Chapter 8, private
health care, nursing and residential care.
14.81 Runnymede Association of Voluntary Services (RAVS): RAVS is a key
infrastructure organisation for Runnymede as it assists other voluntary and community
organisations in recruiting volunteers, accessing funding and with management issues
such as governance.
14.82 RAVS also assists in the following ways:
• Supporting voluntary and community organisations
• Promoting voluntary work
• Being a voice for the voluntary sector
• Identifying gaps in provision – working in partnership with other agencies
14.83 RAVS are currently located at The Sainsbury Centre, Chertsey.
14.84 Runnymede and Spelthorne Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB): Runnymede and
Spelthorne CAB provide appointments and outreach services across Runnymede and
Spelthorne. A comprehensive service is offered over the phone or by visiting in person.
Everyone is offered a short session with an assessor and depending on particular
needs a further time is allocated to assist. Runnymede Rentstart is operated by
Runnymede CAB and provides assistance to homeless couples and single people who
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Runnymede IDP DRAFT – February 2013