Community Centres Future To Be Debated

Recommendations regarding the future of community centres in Wrexham will be presented to a Scrutiny Committee tomorrow afternoon.

Tomorrow the Homes, Environment and Communities Scrutiny Committee will meet to discuss a recommendation to the Executive Board containing the following measures (a full PDF can be found here.)

• Where a Community Council agrees to fully fund their local community centre(s) this will take effect as of April 2014
• Community centres which are not fully funded by a Community Council or where there is no local group that will take over the immediate running of local centres will be selected for closure as of April 2014 subject to consultation and completing an equalities impact assessment.
• Where Community Councils agree to fully fund community centres for 12 months during the financial year 2014/15, that this is taken as an opportunity to agree a formal transfer to the Community Council or a voluntary group before March 2015. If this does not occur, then the community centre will be selected for closure as of April 2015
• That any agreements with voluntary groups to take over their community centre should be done on the basis of the appropriate legal arrangement; where this is on a lease basis, it should be on a peppercorn rent and that the department will make a contribution towards the legal costs of the voluntary association.
• That dual-use community centres should transfer to the relevant school providing that this results in an appropriate budgetary saving (with the level of saving being reported to the Executive Board prior to implementation). If the transfer is not feasible, then these three community centres would be subject to transfer or closure as above.
• The co-location of community centres and other local facilities (such as libraries etc.) where this is feasible and where it results in an overall budgetary saving or other discernible benefits. If this is not feasible, then these centres would be subject to transfer or closure as above.

The debate around the community centres  has been ongoing since the start of summer with a meeting held back in June to discuss the future and possible options for the community centres.

In June we reported that a petition had been launched to save Marford Community Centre. The report states that discussions with Marford Community Centre Group, which has expressed an interest in taking over Marford Community Centre. This group have presented a proposal to the Council to take over the centre and officers are supporting them to develop their ideas. A representative committee has been established and consideration given to future governance structures.

In August the Head of Community Wellbeing & Development wrote to all Community Councils asking them to consider three funding and operating options, including a direct transfer to the relevant community centre and direct transfer to a local management committee, voluntary association or community group.

The third option is if option a and b are not applicable then the Council would consult on the remaining possible options including the cessation of the service or closure of the facility.

The report states that one Community Council has suggested verbally that they would consider providing financial support for the 12 months, in order to allow time for the establishment of a local trust or group to take over the centre. However the report states: “Whilst this might provide a short-term solution in one instance, it should only be considered in exceptional circumstances to allow more time for Community Councils to establish viable local bodies to take over their centre(s) as it would add uncertainty for both users and staff during the 12-month period. The department also lacks capacity to support the establishment of a host of new voluntary trusts/management groups.”

It is also suggested in the report that the transfer of three dual-use community centres at Borras Park, Holt & Ruabon to schools has been considered.

Part of the meeting around Community Centres will also be held under ‘Part 2’, which means the press and public will be booted out from the remainder of the discussion. The report states that the reasoning for this is: “An indication for potential capital receipts has been included as a Part 2 item within Appendix 6. Comments and potential value ranges have been identified, where applicable, for each centre with the caveat that such indications of value are subject to further investigation and gross of any demolition costs, sales costs and any other unforeseen abnormal costs.”

Also up for discussion tomorrow is the possible closure of three libraries. The meeting will take place at 2pm in the Guildhall tomorrow.