The Community Buildings report of the County Council was released today. Cabinet will consider it next week. Fram Community Centre had previously not been in the invest category and there was the risk of closure.
The hard work put in by the community and the committee as well as the investment in the new carpark and windows in the last few years seems to have paid off . We have been moved up into the invest category with lower repair costs and higher usage the reasons.
BEARPARK COMMUNITY CENTRE
Bearpark Community Centre has also moved into the invest category with much lower costs compared to Fram for improvements of around £28,000 and more users.
FLAMBARD ROAD COMMUNAL HALL
Flambard Road is now being used by mental health charity Mind who have managed after a long wait to get a long lease on the building so they can improve it and allow it to be used by the community as well.
FYNDOUNE COMMUNAL HALL in Witton Gilbert is still in the do not invest category because of little use but it is possible this could be transfered to Durham City Homes to either be converted or protected for community use.
The same applies to BEAUREPAIRE COMMUNAL HALL in Beapark, though there are still discussions about the possibility of a community group taking it over.
WOODBINE ROAD COMMUNAL HALL in Pity Me is in the same situation as Fyndoune due to low use but we wait to see what will happen with Durham City Homes.
So right now it looks like Fram and Bearpark Community Centres are saved, Flambard is saved, and the remaining small centres are still up in the air but hope is not lost.
Not bad considering Labour wsas threatening to close all of them at one point. Amazing what a bit of community spirit and hard work can achieve.
Its the budget meeting tomorrow and we hope to get Labour to agree to investing in apprenticeships, protecting Libraries, protecting frontline neighbourhood jobs, investing in roads and putting in more money to save those community centres not currently safe.
Paid for by cutting directors, cutting councillor costs, reducing communications budgets and using the money we have in better ways.