Issue - meetings

Report of the Assistant Chief Executive

1.      A review of community centres has been approved to ensure they can contribute effectively to thriving communities and provide improved value for money;

2.      The exploration of Community Asset Transfer in appropriate cases has been endorsed;

3.      Officers are authorised to explore opportunities with other providers of community facilities actively to seek shared solutions to meeting community needs;

4.      Officers are authorised to undertake the discussions necessary to understand the opportunities and interest locally in the transfer of community centre assets to appropriate community groups.

Councillor Clarke addressed Cabinet commenting that although Councillor Wilson had given a positive impression of the future of Community Centres, there was insufficient evidence up until now for Overview and Scrutiny to pass any judgement.  Figures relating to income and expenditure were not available yet and this would cause a problem for Cabinet, who were committed to reduce expenditure by £100k.  In relation to the future management of the community centres, Councillor Clarke felt that, of the 21 centres, some were already being managed well enough to be passed over for the community to run.  His concern was that if the Council retained only the centres that needed support, there may be too great a drop in overall income to maintain them.  He called for the Cabinet to defer any decision relating to the future of community centres until Overview and Scrutiny had completed their own study.

In response to a question from the Chair relating to the exploration of Community Asset Transfer in appropriate cases, Councillor Clarke reiterated his opinion that community centres in areas of town with affluent people would manage but the subsequent lost income would mean that poorer centres could not be supported

Councillor Clarke responded to Councillor B Hoare’s query about previous reviews of community centres by pointing out that, when he had been involved in the Environment Services Committee, such reviews had been carried out annually. It was pointed out that this had been before the Local Government 2000 Act and the reviews had therefore ceased around eight years previously.

Councillor B Hoare, as the relevant Portfolio Holder, then presented the report to Cabinet and pointed out that the provision of community facilities was not the sole preserve of the Council and that there were good examples in the town of successfully run facilities, such as the Doddridge Centre.  Schools could also provide community facilities, an example being the newly commissioned children’s centre attached to Kingsthorpe Grove Primary School.  A review of community centres was needed, in consultation with partners, to address the needs of communities and with a view to future provision in the light of the growth agenda.  He assured those present that any agreement as to the future of the community centres would be brought back before Cabinet.

It was generally felt that any community asset should be for the benefit of the community and that the possibility of selling off these assets worried people as they may then be deprived of any appropriate community facility.  Lessons might be learnt from studying the running of the more successful centres.  However, it was also pointed out that money raised from selling off successful centres could benefit the poorer ones.  The Chair recommended that Overview and Scrutiny be involved in the next phase of the review and their response would be welcomed by Cabinet.

RESOLVED

1.      That a review of community centres be approved to ensure they can contribute effectively to thriving communities and provide improved value for money;

2.      That the exploration  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14