Rural hall to be community-run

A rural North Auckland hall has officially cemented its status as a community-led enterprise.

Coatesville Hall is the first rural hall in the Rodney district to switch to a community-led model of governance.

The hall committee will be responsible for governing, managing and operating the hall, and now have incorporation status.

Meanwhile, Auckland Council still own the building and the land, and remain responsible for all capital expenditure and major maintenance.

Rodney Local Board chairwoman Beth Houlbrooke said a benefit of community-led management is that the hall becomes a better-used asset.

‘‘They can see how they can extract the best out of it, in terms of keeping it maintained and enhanced and beautified.’’

The keys to the hall were officially handed over to the Coatesville Hall Committee by Auckland Council at a ceremony at the hall on October 11.

In 2015, the Rodney Local Board reviewed hall and reserve management in the Rodney area.

Council staff were asked to a develop new model that would be more flexible to meet the needs of different types of halls and committees.

There are now three management models, including community-led incorporation.

While the Coatesville Hall Committee (Inc) has informally managed the hall for the past decade, they will now be additionally responsible for managing income earned, paying expenses and providing reports.

Coatesville Residents and Ratepayers Association treasurer Alan Curtis said the hall was used ‘‘reasonably extensively’’ by the community by groups such as the gardening club, Scouts and the school.

It has also become a popular wedding venue, he said.

Being able to host paid events meant the hall was able to offered to community groups at no charge, and this will not change under the new community-led management model.

Curtis said it was good for the hall to serve as an example to other groups who may aspire to switch to the same management model.

The Coatesville Hall Committee became incorporated in September 2016.

Email coatesvillehall@gmail.com for bookings.