Views sought on centre plan

The people of Bingham will be asked for their opinions on building a new community centre for the town.

At a town council community meeting on Tuesday, it was announced that flyers would be sent out to every household informing them of the intention to build a community centre.

A location for the project has not yet been decided.

At the meeting councillors read a report produced by a community centre working party, consisting of Mrs Maureen Stockwood, Mr Francis Purdue-Horan, Mr George Davidson and Mr Anthony Hall.

The report said it had been agreed to draft detailed generic drawings of a community centre, which would include a licensed bar.

Last week the town council agreed to spend £1,500 so HSSP Architects Associates could draw up the plans for the layout.

A letter to the town council from the chairman of Bingham’s Community Concern action group, Mr Tim Chamberlain, said there had been negligible public participation in the project so far.

He said: “We appreciate that the matter of site selection should be confidential but all other aspects should have immediate and widespread public involvement.”

He also wanted to see an extensive business plan drawn up for the project and details of how the centre would be managed.

Mrs Stockwood said it was not possible to draw up a business plan until a site was found.

She said:” You can draw up generic plans for a building but not a generic business plan.”

She also said residents had been consulted on their views for a community centre back in 2001.

“The feasibility study in 2001 suggested that people were very much in favour of a community centre,” she said

She also said it was a legal requirement that money from the town council’s community chest must be spent on a community centre.

She said the purpose of the new consultation was for those who had moved to the town since 2001.

Mr Purdue-Horan said he thought a licensed bar should be included in the plans so the centre could be used for family functions such as weddings.