The council is inviting expressions of interest for voluntary, community or faith organisations to run and manage Townhill Park Community Centre in Meggeson Avenue, under its Community Asset Transfer (CAT) programme.
Under a CAT, community facilities are transferred to an organisation on a long lease or freehold basis at less than market value, in theory putting them in stronger position to be able to apply for funding from grant organisations and raise other sources of funding.
Harefield Community Centre in Yeovil Chase is the only community centre so far advertised by the council for a CAT. It received two expressions of interest, from Just Centres and Christian charity New Community Network. Both organisations were invited to progress to the next stage, although New Community Network pulled out of the process. The council says negotiations are continuing with Just Centres.
The council is seeking offers in the region of £1350 per annum for a lease for Townhill Park Community Centre, which was built in 2012. More detailed information about the offer is available to download from this page.
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Cllr Satvir Kaur, Southampton City Council’s cabinet member for Communities, said: “I am pleased to announce Townhill Park and Northam Community Centres as the next two properties to become available for community asset transfers. This represents an exciting opportunity for the centres and the communities they serve.
“The aim is to create successful, vibrant and inclusive community managed assets that are sustainable in the long term and we welcome expressions of interest from groups that want to work with us to help achieve this.”
There is a two-stage application process and the deadline for expressions of interest relating to both community centres is Thursday, October 9. Details of the process, including application forms and a supporting tool kit, are available on the Community Asset Transfer pages on the council website.
Links
Community assets currently available – application details on council website
Making community asset transfer work – The Guardian blog from 2011