I have had a number of meetings in the last week about Framwellgate Moor Community Centre. As many of you will be aware the council had decided not to invest any money in the centre which would have risked its closure, however, a valiant effort from the Community Centre Committee (All volunteers), managed to boost the centre enough to get it into the councils invest category.

Now, the committee is considering the possibility of taking over the centre from council control on a long term lease, which would allow us to seek external funding and receive funding from the council to improve the building.

This may take up to two years to complete, however the committee is also working with the council and a local charity to see if alternative proposals for the future of the building could be looked into including the possibility of rebuilding or expanding the centre. In the coming weeks a survey is expected to go out to local residents seeking their views, which I am also helping to put online and will provide the links when this is available.

In the meantime, if you are interested in joining the committee, which tends to meet normally once a month or interested in using the centre please do call in the centre and check out availability.”

I have contributed £3000 this year from local Neighbourhood funds to help the centre with staffing and energy bill costs for the next year as well as a small fund for any groups wanting to rent who may be eligible for a discount on room rents.