Wednesday, January 04, 2006
This report is going to the Borough Council's Policy Development Committee on 9 January 2006
Community Centre Review
1. Introduction
The Cabinet has requested a review of the future management and funding options for Borough Council owned Community Centres. The Community Development Unit will be leading on this review. As with recent service reviews, this will be accompanied by the Asset Management Review of the properties.
2. Baseline Position
There are currently six community centres that are owned by the Council, five of which are leased to Community Associations. One is managed by the Borough Council. Appendix A outlines the baseline position of these community centres, looking at:
a) Where they are
b) Who manages them
c) Grants paid to them over last 5 years
d) Brief details of lease arrangements.
3. The Scope of the Review
The objectives of the review will be, in accordance with the Council’s asset management process, to ascertain if the community centres are fit for purpose and to identify the funding and management options which will most effectively and efficiently meet the long-term needs of local communities and the Council’s corporate priorities.
The review will encompass:
a) Asset Management review
In line with the Asset Management process.
b) Consultation
It is envisaged that full consultation with communities served by the community centres will take place, both through questionnaires and face to face consultations. This will try to establish community expectations and needs from the community centres, what is already being provided, whether this meets their needs and what the gaps are in provision, if any.
c) Management of the Centres
This area of the review will look at how and by whom the centres are managed, how effective that management is, how it is evaluated, governance issues and how grants have been spent.
1
d) Member engagement
It is envisaged that Policy Development Committee will be involved at two stages. Firstly, to agree the baseline position and scope of the review (this report) and secondly to consider options and shape the final report to Cabinet (at a session with this Committee no earlier than July 2006, with a report to Cabinet no earlier than August 2006). Those Members who have the Community Centres in their wards will be involved before, during and after the consultation with the communities.
e) Options for the future
It is envisaged that several options for the future management and funding of the Community Centres may be considered, once all the information is available. These are likely to include:
No change to current situation;
Transfer to a Community Trust or work in partnership with other agencies;
Transfer to the Town Councils;
Retain the ownership but set up service level agreements with the Community Associations that lease the premises.
There may be other options that become apparent during the review process
4. Recommendation
Policy Development Committee is requested to note the baseline position, and to approve the ‘scope’ of the review as outlined in (3) above.
Community Centre Review
1. Introduction
The Cabinet has requested a review of the future management and funding options for Borough Council owned Community Centres. The Community Development Unit will be leading on this review. As with recent service reviews, this will be accompanied by the Asset Management Review of the properties.
2. Baseline Position
There are currently six community centres that are owned by the Council, five of which are leased to Community Associations. One is managed by the Borough Council. Appendix A outlines the baseline position of these community centres, looking at:
a) Where they are
b) Who manages them
c) Grants paid to them over last 5 years
d) Brief details of lease arrangements.
3. The Scope of the Review
The objectives of the review will be, in accordance with the Council’s asset management process, to ascertain if the community centres are fit for purpose and to identify the funding and management options which will most effectively and efficiently meet the long-term needs of local communities and the Council’s corporate priorities.
The review will encompass:
a) Asset Management review
In line with the Asset Management process.
b) Consultation
It is envisaged that full consultation with communities served by the community centres will take place, both through questionnaires and face to face consultations. This will try to establish community expectations and needs from the community centres, what is already being provided, whether this meets their needs and what the gaps are in provision, if any.
c) Management of the Centres
This area of the review will look at how and by whom the centres are managed, how effective that management is, how it is evaluated, governance issues and how grants have been spent.
1
d) Member engagement
It is envisaged that Policy Development Committee will be involved at two stages. Firstly, to agree the baseline position and scope of the review (this report) and secondly to consider options and shape the final report to Cabinet (at a session with this Committee no earlier than July 2006, with a report to Cabinet no earlier than August 2006). Those Members who have the Community Centres in their wards will be involved before, during and after the consultation with the communities.
e) Options for the future
It is envisaged that several options for the future management and funding of the Community Centres may be considered, once all the information is available. These are likely to include:
No change to current situation;
Transfer to a Community Trust or work in partnership with other agencies;
Transfer to the Town Councils;
Retain the ownership but set up service level agreements with the Community Associations that lease the premises.
There may be other options that become apparent during the review process
4. Recommendation
Policy Development Committee is requested to note the baseline position, and to approve the ‘scope’ of the review as outlined in (3) above.
