Budget for community centres could be slashed in half if council proposal goes ahead

The budget for 15 community centres in the Rochdale Borough could be slashed in half if a council proposal to save money goes ahead.

Under the consultation, 15 grant-funded community centres would see a loss of £303,960 across two years.

Currently the following Community Centres receive annual grants from the council to enable them to deliver community activity: Back O’th Moss and Crimblecroft in Heywood, Burnside and Demesne in Middleton, Pennines’ Meadowfields, plus BACP, Castlemere, Deeplish, KYP, Rochdale Women’s Welfare, Sparth, Spotland and Falinge, Syke, Turf Hill and Wardleworth.

This proposal would considerably reduce funding available to the centres and would result in a requirement for them to become self-funding in the future.

Mark Dalzell, Head of Neighbourhoods at Rochdale Borough Council said: "We're consulting on a range of proposals to address our serious financial challenge and a budget gap of £3.6 million for 2019/20. This is as a result in further cuts from central government and increased demand for services. 

"One proposal is a 50% cut for two consecutive financial years to the budget for grant-funded community centres.  The council has continued to finance community centres far more than many other authorities, so with reduced money now available, we are proposing to reduce the overall grant budget and deliver the services in a different way.

"Remaining monies would be put into a community investment fund which would allow centres to bid for funding to deliver commissioned or targeted services in their area.  We have no statutory duty to fund community centres, although we know what a valuable service they provide. 

"We have written to the 15 centres affected and met with them. The consultation ends on 10 September and no decisions have been taken. Please give us your views, and we are keen to listen to any alternatives."

Affected centres have been contacted for comment.

The consultation closes Monday 10 September 2018.

Contact

Survey: https://consultations.rochdale.gov.uk/council-wide/nh-2019-20-022/consultation/intro/

Email: consultation@rochdale.gov.uk

Write to: Freepost RTKH-UCCB-JSJU,

(Rochdale Borough Council, PO Box 100, Public Consultation)

Rochdale,

OL16 9NP