Threeways community centre at a crossroads

as possible and that officers’ actions the previous Tuesday were unwarranted.

At the forum the reasons given for the closure were “demolished” by the charity, said Mr Fear.

The council is sticking to its guns and said the authority worked “tirelessly” with the Centre at Threeways’ Board of Directors for two years to secure key information and put the necessary health and safety checks in place without success. The council says this left the local authority with no alternative but to take back the site, given the seriousness of the condition of the building.

The charity says health and safety issues were dealt with when raised with them and in February trustees told the council’s Place Scrutiny Board that the sports centre was financially on an even keel.

Mr Fear said the charity has asked for meetings with Leader of Calderdale Council, Coin Tim Swift (Lab, Town), Deputy Leader Coun Jane Scullion (Lab, Luddenden Foot) or Cabinet, as well as Halifax MP Holly Lynch but by the start of this week had not had a response. The equipment in the sports centre was owned by the charity and at some point the council had to discuss the issue with it. “I’m waiting for them to come and talk to us,” he said.

Mr Fear said the charity was particularly concerned that groups who used the sports centre would go elsewhere and it would be difficult to get them back, risking the future of buildings that had given so much to the community.

Following the closure, Vice-Chair Colin Davies, on behalf of the board of Centre at Threeways, said despite its financial challenges the charity made significant improvements to sections of the premises through grants and social finance and has delivered significant social benefit to the local community through the dedicated work of its volunteer Board of Trustees, a small staff team and tremendous support of community volunteers.

“Our hope is that in some way the work of the charity has left a legacy in north Halifax which has made a difference and will continue to encourage community activism for many years to come,” he said.