Community centres saved from £300,000 cut

Councillor Richard Farnell

Community centres throughout the borough have been saved from a £300,000 cut.

Rochdale council leader Richard Farnell has rejected the saving proposed by council finance chiefs.

Councillor Farnell said: “Community centres do a great job and serve some of the most neediest areas of our borough extremely well.

“The 25 centres have already suffered a huge £402,000 cut in recent years. A further £300,000 out of the remaining £572,000 grant –more than half- would be devastating. It is a cut too far. It would have forced many of the centres to close their doors.

“I have said the council must do everything we can to protect front line services in the face of £51million of unfair central government cutbacks. Community centres work at the sharp end. I have also said I will listen carefully to the public. Community centres are extremely well supported and cherished by local people.

“I value the hard work and excellent services provided by the hundreds of volunteers and community groups across the borough. We should be supporting them not cutting them.

“We also need a new relationship with the voluntary sector The council should be doing more and working much more closely with volunteers and community organisations to help us provide some of the essential and caring services in the future.

“Council cutbacks mean we have less money and fewer staff to provide all the vital support and caring services people need and should be provided by a decent society. And yet there is a huge reservoir of goodwill provided by neighbours and volunteer workers that we should and must tap in to if we are to continue providing those quality-of-life services and support so many people need. It’s a big challenge but I know there is a great deal of support from people to meet that challenge.”