Community Centres and Village Halls - Consultation
West Lothian Council has begun a consultation with Management Committees on the future provision of community facilities, including community centres and village halls.
Changes to the way in which these community facilities operate are necessary as funding and resources become more scarce.
Ralph Bell, the council's Customer & Community Service Manager explains:
"Our key objective throughout this exercise will be to work with Management Committees to help ensure that facilities remain open under new operating arrangements.
"Currently, individual Management Committees receive the income generated via community centres and village hall lets. West Lothian Council does not receive any income from lets, but does incur all of the costs for staffing, heating and electricity, maintenance and upkeep of the facilities.
"This financial model is no longer affordable, nor is it sustainable. This is why we are engaging and consulting with Management Committees on potential alternative options that would ensure facilities remain open.
"No final decision has been made on the future of these facilities, but given the severity of the financial position that all councils find themselves in, it is absolutely necessary to review and change how current services are provided going forward given we will have far less funding available. We simply cannot afford to continue to deliver the same level of services."
"Initial meetings have taken place with Management Committees and it is expected that individual management committee engagement will continue throughout 2024. It is our aim to work with Management Committees to provide advice and support to enable them to identify alternative operating models."
Frequently asked questions?
Operating models for the way in which community facilities are owned and managed are being looked at across Scotland. Largely, this is driven by a lack of funding available to councils, combined with an increase in the cost of providing services.
"Given the severity of the financial position that all councils find themselves in, it is absolutely necessary to review and change how current services are provided going forward given we will have far less funding available. We simply cannot afford to continue to deliver the same level of services.
There are two key causes:
The council has less available funding to spend on running costs (staff, heating, electricity etc) which is caused by increasing costs and insufficient levels of funding.
The council's capital budget is severely constrained due to real terms reductions in the capital funding provided to us, and the requirement to meet significant one off costs. Capital resources are being prioritised to those assets providing essential statutory council services, such as roads, schools and social care facilities. The council has no budget available to undertake essential maintenance works at community centres, which will adversely impact on the condition and suitability of these buildings going forward.
No, there is no legal requirement for councils to provide these types of facilities. They are non-statutory services
No final decision has been made on the future of these facilities, but given the severity of the financial position that all councils find themselves in, it is absolutely necessary to review and change how current services are provided going forward given we will have far less funding available. We simply cannot afford to continue to deliver the same level of services.
The focus of the review has been on establishing new cost effective models of service delivery that will support local communities with options to maintain local facilities going forward. There are options that Management Committees may consider, including Community Asset Transfer, lease agreements and recharging, however the council would also welcome any practicable and feasible proposals that the consultation may bring.
In short, it is hoped that community groups will take on the ownership and management of their community facilities and there are various methods available to enable that to happen.
If you feel you have the skills, experience and time to provide assistance to your local Management Committee, please contact them.
At this stage, we are consulting with Management Committees. However, should no new operating models be adopted by Management Committees, further engagement will be carried out with other interested voluntary groups. If you are involved in a voluntary group, and you think you might be interested in taking over the running of your local centre, please email CommunityCentreReview@westlothian.gov.uk.
We would like to work with Management Committees to explore options which will both allow the council to meet its savings target while allowing the community centre to remain open. This could include bringing community centres within a community together to pool skills, resources and approaches.
Officers are willing to work with Management Committees to investigate options to link in with Community Development Trusts (CDT). A CDT is a community owned and led organisations which operate as community and social enterprises, working to combine community-led action with an enterprising approach to address and tackle local needs and issues.The aim of a development trust is to create social, economic and environmental renewal in a defined geographical area.
It is suggested that Management Committees work with the groups and organisations who use the community centre to identify routes to engagement. Identifying what support and skills are required to support the Management Committee and the running of the community centre. This could include surveys to building users, presentations, public meetings and networking events.
An information pack relating to each community centre has been provided to the relevant Management Committee. This sets out the costs incurred by the council to operate and staff the buildings as well as additional information and considerations.
Yes, the funding may have further restrictions on what it can be used for or have long lease requirements. However, funding is available from many sources and officers will work with Management Committees to maximise their applications. Information on funding available is included in the information pack provided to Management Committees. However, this will not include contributions from developers as they are only legally obliged to pay for items as part of a statutory duty, for example schools.
Officers will attend meetings with Management Committees to provide support in working through the options and identify the best approach for the community centre.
Community Asset Transfer (CAT)
Legislation states that a CAT request can be received at any time. However, we would encourage groups to work together as there are 3 requirements that underpin CAT:
Community Engagement - What does the proposal do for the community and who is involved?
Business Plan - does the business model meet the needs of the project?
What groups will be involved in the delivery of the project?
Once a building has its ownership transferred via CAT the building is no longer a council building and therefore there is no option to return the property to West Lothian Council. The building is therefore an asset of the Management Committee and would be treated as such.
Community Asset Transfer (CAT) Process
All buildings have a detailed condition survey report and all bar two are confirmed as being in either good or satisfactory condition (Stoneyburn and Carmondean being the exceptions)
Under Option 1 (transfer of ownership under community asset transfer), ownership of the property would transfer in its current condition and the acquiring group will be required to satisfy itself as to the condition of the property. The council will provide copies of any building related information it holds, including building condition reports, that may assist in this regard.
Under Option 2 (Full Repairing and Insuring lease), the building will be certified as being safe and statutorily compliant (e.g. with electrical and gas certification). Beyond that, the property will be leased in its current condition. The lease will include a photographic schedule of condition that records the condition of the building as at the date of entry and the tenant will be required to maintain the property in no better or worse condition than that recorded in the photographic schedule of condition.
If Management Committees are to undertake the default option where the council will recharge staffing time, then the Management Committee would not be employing staff directly. However, if CAT or lease is undertaken the Management Committee would be required to staff and pay for their own employees, including pension contributions and national insurance contributions. But consideration of staffing arrangements and costs can be discussed with council officers to consider all options available to support the Management Committees in identifying the best approach for the community centre. Funding is available for a range of development posts and there are options on the type or employment, including agency staff. This would also require the Management Committee to consider sickness and holiday absence to ensure cover was provided. Volunteers will help to support the operation of the building and should be explored.
Council services have been made aware that Management Committees may look to increase their income by introducing charges to council services. Management Committees are expected to review and consider their charging structure which will include increasing charges.
Full Repair and Insuring Lease
The council is happy to discuss the aims and aspirations of individual groups and to agree a lease period that best suits those individual circumstances on a site by site basis.
"Community Benefits" are the non-financial benefits (the positive outcomes) that a project delivers to its community. An example might be an over 50's fitness class, where the community benefits (the positive outcomes) might be improving physical and mental wellbeing and addressing social isolation in the community. Those outcomes are measured and quantified and equated to a financial value. The council is then able to discount or waive the lease's stated market rent by that measured financial value. The council anticipates that all rents would be waived in full in lieu of community benefit, in which case no rent would be physically payable by the tenant.
The lease will include a photographic schedule of condition that records the condition of the building as at the date of entry and the tenant will be required to maintain the property in no better or worse condition than that recorded in the photographic schedule of condition. If the lease comes to an end and the property has not been maintained to that standard (and the group is still in existence), the council would have the right have the tenant undertake any necessary works as part of the handback of the building.
If CAT or lease is undertaken the Management Committee would be required to staff and pay for the employees, including pension contributions and national insurance contributions. Funding is available for a range of development posts and there are options on the type or employment, including agency staff. This would also require the Management Committee to consider sickness and holiday absence to ensure cover was provided. Volunteers can help to support the operation of the building and should be explored as an option to remove or reduce staffing costs.
