More than £14,000 has been awarded to shopping parades in Elmbridge as part of Surrey County Council's initiative to boost local areas.

Walton on Thames Traders and the Molesey Business Association received £9,292 and £4,867 respectively to improve signage, planters, banners and flagpoles to drawn more customers in.

At the same time, a handful of community groups in the borough were also handed up to £30,000 each from the council's community improvements fund for projects worth more than £3.1m in total.

The 2nd Thames Ditton Guides received £14,000 from the pot to develop the outdoor space at the Thames Ditton Guide Hut in Church Walk, which will be worth £24,000 when completed.

The Hersham Youth Trust and the Whiteley Village Trust received a total of £37,000 to improve their facilities.

The youth trust hopes to build a sports hard standing at the Hersham Youth Centre in Arch Road, whereas Whiteley Village Trust in Cobham wants to make improvements to the communal areas for disabled and frail residents.

Council leader David Hodge said: “With ever growing demand for services like adult social care making money extremely tight, we had to think long and hard about providing these grants.

“But we decided to go ahead because not only will the money we’ve given these projects help secure more than £3.1 million of benefits for Surrey, it will ensure our experience of living and working in the county continues to be great while also boosting our economic prosperity throughout our communities.”