Strategic Framework for Community Centre Provision

Dear community group member 

Framework for Community Centre Provision
 
We would like to hear your views!

Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council has developed a Strategic Framework for Community Centre Provision which is a decision making process to identify how well an area is catered for in terms of provision of community facilities and how we, as a Council, can support community centre provision.

There are a number of Council owned community centres across the Borough and there are also a large number of community centres and other facilities used by communities that are provided by community, church, cultural and other organisations.

The purpose of the Framework is to:

1.  Provide a process to proactively identify gaps in Community Centre provision across the Borough;
2.  Guide the Council decision making process in relation to capital investment through the Capital Grants Programme, and capital investment in existing Council owned community centres;
3.  Guide Council’s approach to operating and developing Council owned community centres as hubs of community activity;
4.  Guide how Council provides support to community organisations that are operating community centres.

We have identified key standards that we believe should apply to community centre provision, around issues such as distance/time to travel, cost etc and have also provided a range of options to help address gaps in provision across the Borough.  

We would like to hear your views! We would appreciate you taking just a few minutes to complete and submit this short survey. 

If you have any queries please feel free to contact Louise Scullion or Adele McCloskey at Coleraine office on 028 7034 7032 or by e-mailing community.development@causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk

Many thanks for your time!

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* 1. Vision for Community Centre Provision:  'To have shared, welcoming, accessible, fit for purpose community centres which provide a range of activities and services to address the needs of all sections of the community'

Do you agree with this overall Vision?

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* 2. The Strategic Framework for Community Centre Provision proposes 7 key Standards, which should mean ideally all settlements or neighbourhoods should have a Community Centre which is:-

Standard 1: Located within 10mins drive (rural) or 10mins walk (urban)
Standard 2: Open to all sections of the community
Standard 3: Neutral Shared and Welcoming
Standard 4: Available to book (Not oversubscribed)
Standard 5: Affordable to use
Standard 6: Fit for purpose - Appropriate room size and in a good state of repair
Standard 7: Have a wide ranging activity programme (not just a hall for hire)
Do you Agree with these standards?

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* 3. Please could you provide your opinion on the individual standards below?

Standard 1: Located within 10mins drive (rural) or 10mins walk (urban)
Standard 2: Open to all sections of the community
Standard 3: Neutral Shared and Welcoming
Standard 4: Available to book (Not oversubscribed)
Standard 5: Affordable to use
Standard 6: Fit for purpose - Appropriate room size and in a good state of repair
Standard 7: Have a wide ranging activity programme (not just a hall for hire)

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* 4. If gaps are identified in the level of community facility provision in an area, we have identified a range of 6 options in order to address that gap, which are listed below.
A) Support the opening up of existing facilities in an area to new users, this could be a Church Hall, Scout Hall etc
B) Provide support to existing community facilities to develop activity programmes.
C) Support community provision through subsidising running costs of community operated facilities, through Council's Community Development Support Grant.
D) Support community provision through Council's Capital Grant Programme
E) Capital Investment in existing council owned community centre
F) Dispose of the Asset, if a Council owned centre that are surplus to requirement.
Do you think these options are appropriate?

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* 5. Are there any other options for support that you think should be considered?

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* 6. The purpose of the Framework is to enable better and more informed decision making to take place.  Is there anything else that you think should be included within the Framework in relation to Community Facility Provision?

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