Leisure trust in bid to run youth centre
JON MACPHERSON
AYOUNG people’s centre which was shut down as part of council budget cuts could be handed a lifeline.
Hyndburn Leisure Trust (HLT) has confirmed that it has submitted an application to Lancashire County Council (LCC) to take over the running of the Great Harwood Young People’s Centre, on Lowerfold Road.
The building was one of more than 100 community facilities closed by LCC in 2016 as part of budget saving measures.
The leisure trust is now in discussions with LCC over a community asset transfer and, if successful, would use it to provide ‘various services’ for borough residents.
The announcement comes as Hyndburn council officially granted HLT a 25-year lease to take over Bank Mill House, on Church Street in Great Harwood, for use as a community centre.
Steve Tanti, chief execu- tive of HLT, said: “Hyndburn Leisure are looking forward to working with the current users of Bank Mill House and hope to expand on some of the activities on offer from the community centre. We are pleased that the council have granted us a lease.
“We submitted an application to LCC’s asset transfer programme relating to Great Harwood Young People’s Centre.
“We are currently in discussions with LCC about the process and have provided supplementary information for them to consider with our applica- tion. If successful, we aim to provide various services which will complement our health and leisure offer in Great Harwood and Hyndburn as a whole.”
Hyndburn council leader Miles Parkinson said Bank Mill House is one of the last council buildings to be taken out of their control.
Speaking at a recent cabinet meeting, he said: “The strategy of this council when we took over in 2011 was to transfer some of our community assets and buildings so they could be utilised more.
“These community groups and charities have made more use of them and it’s something to be very pleased about.
“This is one of the last. There’s probably just the (Clayton) Civic Hall and another in West End, Oswaldtwistle.
“We are very pleased that we have not closed one of our public buildings and that they are utilised more now than when in council ownership, even compared to the good years when the council wasn’t under the same financial constraints.”
E-BILLS PLEA
RESIDENTS are being urged to sign up for e-billing as an easier way to access council tax or business rate bills and to save the council money.
Hyndburn councillor Clare Cleary said it costs around £40,000 to send out over 80,000 council tax and business rate bills every year to households and each time a person moves from traditional paper bills to e-bills they save 50p.
For more information visit www. hyndburnbc.gov.uk/ ebilling or call the council on 01254 388 111.
GUITAR CONCERT
A CLASSICAL guitar concert will be held to raise money for a new church roof.
Edward Foster will play compositions from his debut album, Raven, at St Bartholomew’s Church in Great Harwood on Friday, March 10, from 7.30pm.
Entry costs £6 and proceeds will go towards the church’s ‘Raise the Roof’ campaign.
Refreshments will also be served. To book tickets call Joyce Miller on 07940 732423.