Takeover blow at Threeways
TRUSTEES OF a Calderdale social centre say their charity faces insolvency following termination of its lease by the local authority.
Calderdale Council took back control of the Threeways centre at Ovenden, Halifax, on Tuesday, a move which, at least temporarily, involves closure of its sports centre which was still being run by the Centre at Threeways charity.
The council says it had no choice but to do so because there were serious site safety issues which had to be assessed urgently and people’s safety as paramount. But the charity says staff and trustees were shocked when council officers arrived at the Nursery Lane site – one of the biggest community asset transfers in the country when it was signed off in 2013 – with security without warning, instructed the closure of the sports centre and subsequently changed locks.
Vice-Chair of Centre at Threeways Board of Directors, Colin Davies, said Trustees felt this action was “aggressive and unwarranted” and did not accept the reasons outlined by the council for this course of action. He said it leaves the charity with no option but to go into administration.
In a letter sent to all 51 councillors, Mr Davies said: “Never in my life have I witnessed what has felt like a callous display of aggression and brutal and calculated abuse of power.”
The council says it was left with no option other than to bring the lease to an end and has taken over direct management of the whole site to ensure it is safe for everyone to use. Director of Regeneration and Strategy, Mark Thompson (pictured, inset), said financial problems and the health and safety issues had forced its hand.
“We are working hard to secure a sustainable future for the site and we are providing support to tenants and their employees, as we appreciate this is a difficult time,” he said. Mr Thompson said the council had provided significant funding and support including health and safety advice and works to the charity’s board to help the project succeed.
“However, the Board’s unsustainable financial situation and struggle to address statutory health and safety requirements have given us no option but to act,” he said.