Talks over future of Luddenden Foot community centre - and how other 'asset transfer schemes' involving Calderdale neighbourhood groups are progressing

Calderdale Council officers have been in discussion with Luddenden Foot Community Association Group, who run Luddenden Foot Civic Centre.

At the end of last year the group was considering handing the building back to the council due to potential work required on it.

They are scheduled to meet with officials to decide whether or not to proceed to the next stage, which would be agreeing heads of terms and issuing a lease, councillors heard.

The group has recently received a condition report on the building, which was being discussed by the group’s board.

Councillors have previously heard taking on running of council buildings – which would otherwise close as the council may no longer have a use for them, or cannot afford to run them because of financial pressure – is not straightforward and groups need officer help.

Community groups may also be able to access grant funding councils cannot.

Meanwhile other community asset transfers involving neighbourhood groups taking on council premises, such as libraries, are progressing but more slowly than the authority would like, the council’s estate and buildings management board heard.

Having enough officer time available to help groups is an issue, councillors heard.

Four transfers – for Skircoat Library in Halifax, Ripponden Library, Stainland Library and Heptonstall Museum – are all at different stages of the lease negotiation process.

Shelf Village Hall and Library is at business case evaluation stage, with the group interested in taking on the premises providing some additional information.

The business case for Mytholmroyd Library is still being clarified, while the full business case has been received for Foundry Street Centre, Sowerby Bridge and has been evaluated by officers, reported Steve Hoyle, the council’s lead officer for asset management.

But the issue of resources to speed up the processes needs to be addressed, with a senior officer review of arrangements to see how these might be strengthened taking place, reported Mr Hoyle.

A Cabinet decision to dispose of some buildings as part of the Future Council programme has meant a lot of potential transfers coming up in the same timeframe.