Agenda item

Agenda item

South Wigston Community Centre - Elliot Hall

Minutes:

A presentation paper outlining information about Elliot Hall, a building to be used as a community centre for South Wigston was discussed with residents. The residents posed questions and made observations about the proposed project.

The presentation paper stated the following:

Elliott Hall better known as Thistle Needle work factory based on Albion Street in South Wigston has been converted into a youth and community building for all people within the community to use at a hire charge.

The building has two floors. The top floor being the biggest, contains a new kitchen, games room, a new stair lift leading to the lower floor to cater for all needs.

The lower floor contains male and female toilets with disabled access toilets. The lower hall leads to a changing room and a small kitchenette.

The building has been fitted with cctv and intercom for the safety of all using the building.

The building will be used for different groups. To date the following groups have confirmed they will be using Elliott Hall.

Wednesday and Saturday -Hope Hearts working with people who have learning difficulties, ages from 6 till 20.

Tuesday and Friday Step Out Youth Group - running activities for the youth of South Wigston and the surrounding area.

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday Dance lessons, Jazz, Ball, Latin for all ages.

Wednesday Photography classes will be running.

Mornings will have classes for young and older people in way of sports activities run by Get Doing.

Elliott Hall has limited its open hours from Monday to Saturday from 9am till 10pm and Sundays 10am till10pm. Setting up can be done before these times but activities cannot be set up before these times.

Elliott Hall has room for four cars, but people have been advised to use public car parks on Station Street and Countesthorpe Rd Car Park.

The following points arose from the discussion:

The Project is supported by Leicestershire County Council. It granted funding for the fitment of the new kitchen.

There is a project to work with young people to know how fresh produce is grown.

A bid for funding is currently with Oadby and Wigston Borough Council.

The building is leased and ownership is held under a trust. A builder is carrying out renovations.

Bassett street Library is closing down.

There is no completion between Elliot Hall and Bassett Street building.

The previous planning permission given for a nursery was not deemed sustainable.as more work was needed. The plan was to extend in both directions outside. Another application did not have the external problems but as it would not go back to a commercial use, it fell through.

A comment was made that the Planners should have taken on board the building is in the middle of houses and there is also only space for four to six cars.

There was not much consultation with residents and it appears there may be a problem with parking and the road is difficult to drive down. If the Forum had known about the Centre residents would have liked to put their opinions forward about it. As a community asset residents should have had a chance to be consulted.

It was expressed that Elliot Hall is a complimentary idea and not in competition with Basset Street Community hub.

The question was asked did not residents have a right to be consulted. No right exists for residents to be consulted. Apart from those in the immediate vicinity, who were.

Parking currently takes place and has not impacted negatively on residents.

In answer to the question who owns the building, the answer provided was, a man who resides in Ireland. There is a long-term lease which has been taken out on the building.

It is for public use. The running of it is on a non-profit-making basis, any profit made will be ploughed back into the project to help young people, there is no beneficial implications for Mr Walters or his colleague Mr Elliot.

On the question of monitoring usage, it was noted the Council has received information about the Centre for the past four months. It is expected that monitoring of usage will come with revenues for grants made. Annually Elliot Hall will be asked to provide information on what has been achieved. The Centre currently provides thirty-seven hours of use weekly.

No Council grant has been given to the Centre. The centre will be dependant on public grants annually.

The negotiated grant provided by the Council would be a one off. It would come out of Section 106 Tesco monies. As a recurring grant it would be placed in the review of grant making.

The Community Engagement Forum will be given a sum of money on an annual basis and would be a one-off way to control funding.

The Council is considering a request from Elliot Hall to provide a 30k potential grant as a one-off award. It would be for the Community Engagement Forum to consider awarding a grant annually.

The Council is working to have a sense of how funding competes and interlocks.

It was stated that there was an explicit statement made that Elliot Hall hoped to be self-sufficient in five years, therefore what criterion would there be to assess value for money. The Chair expressed the view that the Council would look to see what was being achieved through funding and the project would need to prove it was doing more in order to acquire repeat funding. Outcomes would be assessed before further funding was awarded.

Councillor R Morris stated he has been working with Mark Smith the Senior Youth and Community Partnership Officer and others to support provision for young people in South Wigston. He had liaised with Mr Walters to find out what would be provided for young people. He noted consultation has shown the provision for youth is needed in South Wigston. He praised the delivery of the work done by Mr Walters and the Step Out project. The Youth Council has also been involved and St Thomas Church in the beginning. He emphasised that there is a need for youth provision in the area.

A resident added that it was sad that the discussion on the Centre had not been placed on the agenda for the Forum before and added that it would have been good to know about it, and requested that in future could such an item be brought to the Forum.

Another resident questioned whether it is possible to look at the project`s books. It was answered that, a report was completed by contractors and as required three quotes were provided.