Community groups offered help to buy unwanted Calderdale buildings

Coun Jenny Lynn, who is Calderdale Council’s Cabinet member for Public Services and Communities, was responding to concerns voiced at February’s meeting of the full council.

In the light of community groups being asked to take over the running of some buildings – ranging from Clay House at Greetland to Heptonstall Museum – to prevent them being closed to make budget savings, Coun Peter Caffrey (Con, Northowram and Shelf) wanted to know how sincere the offers for Community Asset Transfers were.

Cabinet has said expressions of interest in taking over a building have to be in by March 31.

In his own constituency a group was aiming to take over the running of Shelf Village Hall.

“In some places there are community groups, but some are starting from scratch, which is what we are doing in Shelf.

“We are trying to build a committee at a time when you can’t meet and people don’t know each other.

“I am concerned about the timescales we have got.

“With all the red tape we have to do these things, is the council going to be flexible on timescales, because otherwise it isn’t going to happen.

“If people do the expression of interest will the council loo to pick holes in it or be supportive, or say ‘sorry, that’s it?'” he said.

Coun Lynn (Lab, Park) said the council would be as helpful as possible.

“I am really pleased you are pulling people together.

“I am not proposing we lift the deadline of March 31 for expressions of interest, but we want it to happen if it can possibly happen.

“We are not looking for ways to say you can’t do it and pick holes in it,” she said.

Coun Lynn said the deadline had been set because Cabinet wanted to keep momentum going, but she appreciated it was a bit of a challenge.

Coun Scott Patient (Lab, Luddenden Foot) said he definitely understood there were challenges but there had been incredible engagement in Mytholmroyd in terms of an expression of interest about the village’s library.