Halifax council teams up with charity for £500K lottery bid to revitalise community centre
This may progress ongoing Community Asset Transfer of Queen’s Road Neighbourhood Centre in Halifax to Halifax Opportunities Trust (HOT), which helps people in Calderdale with employment, skills, wellbeing, family, integration and business support.
They also agreed to take first steps to progress an asset transfer for another community building, the Ebenezer Centre at St James’ Road, Halifax.
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Hide AdCalderdale Council’s Cabinet agreed to develop the Grade II listed Queen’s Road centre case last year but councillors heard the full business case received from HOT is non-committal on whether there will be a capital contribution from the council.


Reviewing the case, Cabinet members agreed to proceed to the next stage of the transfer- to agree a lease and joint working agreement – and agreed to be a joint applicant with HOT to apply for funding up to a maximum of £500,000, to the National Lottery Heritage Fund for the development stage of the bid only.
Following the development stage of the National Lottery Heritage Fund application, the senior councillors also agreed there should there be no request for funding from the council.
Should there be a request for funding from the council, then a further Cabinet report will have to be brought back to consider the situation again, they agreed.
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Hide AdHOT has a good track record, said Coun Silvia Dacre (Lab, Todmorden), Cabinet member for Resources, and has worked with the council before.


It has experience of running and managing major buildings in Halifax, including the Elsie Whiteley Centre and Hanson Lane Enterprise Centre.
Around £6.5 million would be sought in grants from three main funders including the Heritage Lottery Fund, the council and the Community Ownership Fund to renovate the building, stated the initial business case presented last year.
The centre needs renovation work.
The new decision is not binding on either party at this stage, Cabinet heard.
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Hide AdIn the case of the Ebenezer Centre, a business case had been received from Happy Days Ministries UK (Happy Days) for the community asset transfer.
It had previously been occupied by Christians Together by way of a licence since 2014, who have used the property to provide services and a shelter to homeless people.
Christians Together became part of the Happy Days charity, which also helps homeless people, last year.
Cabinet members agreed council officers should work with Happy Days to develop a full business case within six months.
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Hide AdThe council is to divest itself of properties it no longer needs to help balance its budget.
Interested groups can take them on, including costs, if they can show the council their business plans to do so are robust.
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