BLUNSDON PARISH COUNCIL |
Consultation on the Future of the Methodist Church and Hall
As you may know the Methodist Circuit have decided to sell the redundant Methodist Church and Hall on the corner of High Street opposite the turning to Pontings Close. Up until recently the Parish Council has been using the Hall to provide space for activity providers to use in the village.
The Parish Council has registered the whole building as an Asset of Community Value which means in simple terms that if the owners want to dispose of this asset, then the Parish Council can reserve the right to bid for the asset should the Community wish it to do so. This does not guarantee that we will automatically win the bid but makes us a ‘player’ while we work out in more detail the finances to achieve the amount bid.
We had until October 8th to register our interest to bid before the property can be offered on the open market, which we did. This invoked a moratorium on the sale of the premises and provided a period of time, until the 27th February 2021, for consultation with the community. In our wider consultation the North Swindon Scouts have also registered an interest in the building, and would like to collaborate with the Parish Council on a way to maintain the building in community use, subject to their ability to establish some parking area and the structural quality of the building.
If the Scouts decide not to progress and should the Community decide that they would like the PC to bid, it will mean that the PC will have to borrow money to pay for the purchase.
There are Loan Boards that Parish Councils can use with preferred interest rates. An example of the potential cost of a loan for £250,000 over 10 years would be £277,495 and for 20 years would be £315,659 and this would mean an additional sum added to the Band D Precept (Local Council tax) of just over £2 per month over the 10 year loan and £1.17 over 20 year loan. The Precept may reduce over time as the Parish population grows, however as it grows, so will our Parish responsibilities. We anticipate that the revenue from Parish facilities should cover the running costs and normal maintenance of the building. Should the North Swindon Scouts wish to progress their bid, the Parish has agreed that it will not put in a rival bid.
If the Community decides that we should bid for the building, we would progress a more detailed cost/benefit analysis which may result in a further consultation with the Parishioners. Even if we decide to go ahead it is still no guarantee that we will get the building as the Methodist Circuit is obliged to get the best price for the property.
There is also a page in the Village Magazine which you can use as your ‘voting slip’ and record your vote in one of the following ways, one vote per household please, so either:
· Tear out the slip and place it in the CONSULTATION box in the Village Shop.
· Use your telephone to photograph the slip and e mail it to contact@blunsdonparishcouncil.co.uk
· This consultation document will also be placed on the Parish Council and Broadcast Blunsdon Facebook pages with an on-line voting option
· It will also be on the Blunsdon Parish Council website: www.blunsdonparishcouncil.co.uk with an on-line voting option
· There will also be voting papers available in the Village Shop
· YOU HAVE UNTIL 31ST DECEMBER TO VOTE
PLEASE NOTE: If less than 30% of the households choose to vote in this consultation, then the Parish Council will not proceed with an independent bid.
So there are two questions to answer please answer both, then fill in your Postcode:
The Parish Council has registered the whole building as an Asset of Community Value which means in simple terms that if the owners want to dispose of this asset, then the Parish Council can reserve the right to bid for the asset should the Community wish it to do so. This does not guarantee that we will automatically win the bid but makes us a ‘player’ while we work out in more detail the finances to achieve the amount bid.
We had until October 8th to register our interest to bid before the property can be offered on the open market, which we did. This invoked a moratorium on the sale of the premises and provided a period of time, until the 27th February 2021, for consultation with the community. In our wider consultation the North Swindon Scouts have also registered an interest in the building, and would like to collaborate with the Parish Council on a way to maintain the building in community use, subject to their ability to establish some parking area and the structural quality of the building.
If the Scouts decide not to progress and should the Community decide that they would like the PC to bid, it will mean that the PC will have to borrow money to pay for the purchase.
There are Loan Boards that Parish Councils can use with preferred interest rates. An example of the potential cost of a loan for £250,000 over 10 years would be £277,495 and for 20 years would be £315,659 and this would mean an additional sum added to the Band D Precept (Local Council tax) of just over £2 per month over the 10 year loan and £1.17 over 20 year loan. The Precept may reduce over time as the Parish population grows, however as it grows, so will our Parish responsibilities. We anticipate that the revenue from Parish facilities should cover the running costs and normal maintenance of the building. Should the North Swindon Scouts wish to progress their bid, the Parish has agreed that it will not put in a rival bid.
If the Community decides that we should bid for the building, we would progress a more detailed cost/benefit analysis which may result in a further consultation with the Parishioners. Even if we decide to go ahead it is still no guarantee that we will get the building as the Methodist Circuit is obliged to get the best price for the property.
There is also a page in the Village Magazine which you can use as your ‘voting slip’ and record your vote in one of the following ways, one vote per household please, so either:
· Tear out the slip and place it in the CONSULTATION box in the Village Shop.
· Use your telephone to photograph the slip and e mail it to contact@blunsdonparishcouncil.co.uk
· This consultation document will also be placed on the Parish Council and Broadcast Blunsdon Facebook pages with an on-line voting option
· It will also be on the Blunsdon Parish Council website: www.blunsdonparishcouncil.co.uk with an on-line voting option
· There will also be voting papers available in the Village Shop
· YOU HAVE UNTIL 31ST DECEMBER TO VOTE
PLEASE NOTE: If less than 30% of the households choose to vote in this consultation, then the Parish Council will not proceed with an independent bid.
So there are two questions to answer please answer both, then fill in your Postcode: