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Edinburgh Reporter
a day ago
- Business
- Edinburgh Reporter
Bathgate Community Centre volunteers set to walk away
Bathgate's Community Centre Management Committee has announced its intention to dissolve next year as it faces a £70,000 annual charge. The move comes in protest at West Lothian Council's proposals to press ahead with changes to the way community centres and halls are run as the council tires to wring £1 million in budget savings from them. Facing a potential annual charge of £70,000 a year to use space at Bathgate's Jim Walker Partnership Centre the community centre management committee said its current income is only around £20,000. The committee has called a public meeting for centre user groups in early September and announced this week: 'There is very little option.' Centre management committees across West Lothian have been looking at options for the future running of centres since May last year. Only two- out of 32 – have announced plans to assume full ownership of their buildings. In Bathgate the management committee is responsible for the letting of ground floor space in the South Bridge Street council partnership building to community groups. The partnership also houses council offices and the town's library. Unable to buy the space, an option offered to management committees of free-standing halls and centres, the Bathgate committee could only opt for a lease and recharge option which would have seen its annual rental costs for the rooms in the partnership surge. Now a strongly worded five-point decision paper will be put to user groups on 4 September, laying out that the committee believes it has no alternative but to cede full control of the centre's public space to the council and give up its role. The council revealed that the majority of the 32 centres across the county would likely see that same position with the council assuming full control. Council officers have suggested that a user groups committee be formed for each centre and letting charges rise to 80 per cent of current education let costs. The first point the Bathgate committee will make is: 'The recharge sum is too much, and we could never raise that sort of money with commercialising the community centre and running it as a profit-making company' This, the paper adds: 'would defeat our charitable objectives and the whole ethos of a centre for community enhancement.' The paper goes on to express disappointment at what it calls 'an ultimatum' from the council, and the fact that it will no longer be able to make donations to community events such as the Bathgate Procession. West Lothian has been forced to consider radical proposals for the future of its community centres to improve its books in an ongoing budget squeeze. At the moment centre management committees keep all funds they make from bookings for dispersal through communities. The council has to pay for repair and maintenance of the buildings. The proposals, first aired 18 months ago, have caused anxiety throughout communities as volunteer groups have been asked to consider buying community centres to run as commercial operations or take on leasing contracts, which would seem these groups responsible for covering repair and maintenance costs. The widely expected deadline for decisions by all centre management committees is early September with the changes coming into force at the start of the new financial year in April 2026. Billy Weir from the Bathgate management committee raised the issue at this month's Local Area Committee for the town. He told councillors: 'We have decided to dissolve at the end of March, but we still vigorously oppose the council's plans up until the last moment seeking a change in political decisions.' Council officers have continued to stress that the council wants to work with volunteers to maintain public spaces for community use, maintaining that user groups' committees could be formed to consider the best way to run public venues. By Stuart Sommerville Local Democracy Reporter Like this: Like Related
Daily Record
a day ago
- Business
- Daily Record
West Lothian community centre group to 'dissolve' next year due to running costs
The move comes in protest at West Lothian Council's proposals to press ahead with changes to the way community centres and halls are run as the council tires to wring £1 million in budget savings from them. Bathgate's Community Centre Management Committee has announced its intention to dissolve next year as it faces a £70,000 annual charge for running costs. The move comes in protest at West Lothian Council's proposals to press ahead with changes to the way community centres and halls are run as the council tires to wring £1 million in budget savings from them. Facing a potential annual charge of £70,000 a year to use space at Bathgate's Jim Walker Partnership Centre the community centre management committee said its current income is only around £20,000. The committee has called a public meeting for centre user groups in early September and announced this week: ' There is very little option.' Centre management committees across West Lothian have been looking at options for the future running of centres since May last year. Only two- out of 32 - have announced plans to assume full ownership of their buildings. In Bathgate the management committee is responsible for the letting of ground floor space in the South Bridge Street council partnership building to community groups. The partnership also houses council offices and the town's library. Unable to buy the space, an option offered to management committees of free standing halls and centres, the Bathgate committee could only opt for a lease and recharge option which would have seen its annual rental costs for the rooms in the partnership surge. Now a strongly worded five-point decision paper will be put to user groups on 3 September, laying out that the committee believes it has no alternative but to cede full control of the centre's public space to the council and give up its role. The council revealed that the majority of the 32 centres across the county would likely see that same position with the council assuming full control. Council officers have suggested that a user groups committee be formed for each centre and letting charges rise to 80 per cent of current education let costs. The first point the Bathgate committee will make is: 'The recharge sum is too much and we could never raise that sort of money with commercialising the community centre and running it as a profit making company' This, the paper adds: ' would defeat our charitable objectives and the whole ethos of a centre for community enhancement.' The paper goes on to express disappointment at what it calls 'an ultimatum' from the council, and the fact that it will no longer be able to make donations to community events such as the Bathgate Procession. West Lothian has been forced to consider radical proposals for the future of its community centres to improve its books in an ongoing budget squeeze. At the moment centre management committees keep all funds they make from bookings for dispersal through communities. The council has to pay for repair and maintenance of the buildings. The proposals, first aired 18 months ago, have caused anxiety throughout communities as volunteer groups have been asked to consider buying community centres to run as commercial operations or take on leasing contracts, which would seem these groups responsible for covering repair and maintenance costs. The widely expected deadline for decisions by all centre management committees is early September with the changes coming into force at the start of the new financial year in April 2026. Billy Weir from the Bathgate management committee raised the issue at this month's Local Area Committee for the town. He told councillors: 'We have decided to dissolve at the end of March but we still vigorously oppose the council's plans up until the last moment seeking a change in political decisions.' Council officers have continued to stress that the council wants to work with volunteers to maintain public spaces for community use, maintaining that user groups' committees could be formed to consider the best way to run public venues.
Edinburgh Live
2 days ago
- Business
- Edinburgh Live
West Lothian community centre group to 'dissolve' next year due to running costs
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Bathgate's Community Centre Management Committee has announced its intention to dissolve next year as it faces a £70,000 annual charge for running costs. The move comes in protest at West Lothian Council's proposals to press ahead with changes to the way community centres and halls are run as the council tries to wring £1 million in budget savings from them. Facing a potential annual charge of £70,000 a year to use space at Bathgate's Jim Walker Partnership Centre the community centre management committee said its current income is only around £20,000. READ MORE: West Lothian pensioners 'devastated' at losing fight to save retirement home café The committee has called a public meeting for centre user groups in early September and announced this week: ' There is very little option.' Centre management committees across West Lothian have been looking at options for the future running of centres since May last year. Only two- out of 32 - have announced plans to assume full ownership of their buildings. In Bathgate the management committee is responsible for the letting of ground floor space in the South Bridge Street council partnership building to community groups. The partnership also houses council offices and the town's library. Unable to buy the space, an option offered to management committees of free standing halls and centres, the Bathgate committee could only opt for a lease and recharge option which would have seen its annual rental costs for the rooms in the partnership surge. Now a strongly worded five-point decision paper will be put to user groups on 3 September, laying out that the committee believes it has no alternative but to cede full control of the centre's public space to the council and give up its role. The council revealed that the majority of the 32 centres across the county would likely see that same position with the council assuming full control. Council officers have suggested that a user groups committee be formed for each centre and letting charges rise to 80 per cent of current education let costs. The first point the Bathgate committee will make is: 'The recharge sum is too much and we could never raise that sort of money with commercialising the community centre and running it as a profit making company' This, the paper adds: ' would defeat our charitable objectives and the whole ethos of a centre for community enhancement.' The paper goes on to express disappointment at what it calls "an ultimatum" from the council, and the fact that it will no longer be able to make donations to community events such as the Bathgate Procession. West Lothian has been forced to consider radical proposals for the future of its community centres to improve its books in an ongoing budget squeeze. At the moment centre management committees keep all funds they make from bookings for dispersal through communities. The council has to pay for repair and maintenance of the buildings. The proposals, first aired 18 months ago, have caused anxiety throughout communities as volunteer groups have been asked to consider buying community centres to run as commercial operations or take on leasing contracts, which would seem these groups responsible for covering repair and maintenance costs. The widely expected deadline for decisions by all centre management committees is early September with the changes coming into force at the start of the new financial year in April 2026. Billy Weir from the Bathgate management committee raised the issue at this month's Local Area Committee for the town. He told councillors: 'We have decided to dissolve at the end of March but we still vigorously oppose the council's plans up until the last moment seeking a change in political decisions.' Council officers have continued to stress that the council wants to work with volunteers to maintain public spaces for community use, maintaining that user groups' committees could be formed to consider the best way to run public venues.
