I have regularly commented on this blog about the neglect of areas of lower income and relative need across the county, identified in Dr Helen Bowcock's excellent Hidden Surrey report. Tomorrow sees the launch of a project to help address the issue. I have been sitting on a steering group with members of the Community Foundation for Surrey (CFS) and Lower Green Community Association (LGCA), with a view to launching a Fund to focus some community-generated support for those neighbourhoods in the Esher area that have too often been overlooked because of the arbitrary formula used to determine local funding.

We are now in a position to set up the fund. Having secured financial support from NESTA (a lottery grant), we are launching the Esher Neighbourhood Fund with a donors' event at Sandown Park tomorrow night. The idea is to support areas like Lower Green, which have a vibrant and energetic community, but are often neglected because of the poor deal we get from central government in terms of funding for local services. The community will decide its priorities, using surveys to find out what people really want. Rather than depend on state-funding, the objective is to raise money locally that can be 'matched' against the NESTA funding, generating a sustainable and locally-driven fund.

If you are interested in supporting or want to find out more, please have a look at the website. The project is important in its own right. But, I hope it can also serve as a model for other areas in Elmbridge and beyond in the future.