Stonnall Youth & Community Centre – Parish Notice

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SHENSTONE PARISH COUNCIL

 

Serving Little Aston, Shenstone, Stonnall, Shenstone Wood End, Lynn, Parish Council Office 25C Main Street
Shenstone WS14 OLZ

Tel: 01543 481 947
e-mail: <admin@shenstone-staffs.gov.uk >
web: www.shenstone-staffs.gov.uk

NOTICE: – STONNALL YOUTH AND COMMUNITY CENTRE

Shenstone Parish Council is aware of controversy surrounding the decision not to offer use of the Stonnall Youth and Community Centre to Little Fishes Pre School.

That decision was taken by the Management Committee of the Centre, the body managing the Centre’s bookings and maintenance on behalf of the Parish Council.

Moving forward, and as tenant of the Community Centre, Shenstone Parish Council intends to reconsider the management arrangements. The Community Centre is leased to the Parish Council for youth and community purposes and the Parish Council considers it appropriate for the Centre to be managed by and on behalf of the people of Stonnall, through a management committee, whilst under the governance of and supported by the Parish Council and with appropriate governance arrangements.

The Parish Council therefore looks for greater community involvement both in the decision-making and the use of the Community Centre. The Community Centre is a great asset to Stonnall and Shenstone Parish Council intends to invest in its future to ensure it benefits future generations as it has previously.

The Parish Council had intended to hold a public meeting in the Stonnall Youth and Community Centre on Saturday 28th March to explain our plans to support the creation of a Stonnall Youth and Community Centre building that can support a wide range of needs. In addition we would have outlined the ways in which we intend to improve our support for all our community organisations managing a community facility where the Parish Council is the governing body, leaseholder or owner of that community facility.

With the threat of Covid-19 & to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, the public meeting will now not take place. Instead this document briefly explains both the plans of the Parish Council in respect of all community organisations it supports and the initial plans for the new Stonnall Youth and Community Centre.

Please take time to read the following summaries:

Changes to the Governance of all organisations in buildings owned by Shenstone Parish Council.

  1. Review the governance arrangements of all the buildings and, where necessary, introduce a refreshed governance framework clearly identifying the roles and responsibilities of the management organisation and the Parish Council.
  2. We want the new governance framework to include a requirement that all decisions of long term financial or significant public interest are to be referred to the Parish Council as the governing body for approval and Open and timely publication of all relevant minutes.
  3. Support the management organisation with the training necessary to ensure that the responsibilities are managed fairly, transparently and with appropriate behaviours towards service users and other management organisation members.

Parallel training for the Parish Council covering their oversight responsibilities

Parish Council plans for the development of a new Stonnall Youth and Community Centre.

  1. Look to negotiate the transfer of ownership of the existing building and lands from Staffordshire County Council to Shenstone Parish Council to ensure the asset for community use in the future. This will include agreement to the valuation and verification of any Rights of Way on the land
  2. Assemble a business case to compare the cost of renovation of the existing building against a new building and identifying a funding plan. Shenstone Parish Council has already set aside a substantial budget for the renewal of the building.
  3. Involve the Stonnall community fully in the design and facilities to be included in the new building if that is the preferred option so that it meets the needs of all residents and securing planning approval. Some examples of the type of building that may be considered can be seen here:

https://www.thestablecompany.com/education

https://www.bridgeecoclassrooms.co.uk/

https://www.tgescapes.co.uk/commercial-case-studies

https://www.greenunit.co.uk/classrooms-educational-spaces

For anyone without internet access requiring the above information, prints are available on request.

  1. With the Management Committee tendering the work and choosing a contractor offering the best quality and cost in the most appropriate timescale and upon completion handing over to the Management Committee to run.
  2. Our early estimate is that the entire renewal timescale witl take between sixteen and twenty months.

The Parish Council would now like to hear from you: thoughts on future plans, any ideas and suggestions you may have and feedback on what you are looking for from a community centre.

To share your views please contact the Parish Clerk at Shenstone Parish Council via: Email admin@shenstone-staffs.gov.uk

Letter: 25C Main Street, Shenstone, WS14 OLZ

Or via the three Stonnall Councillors who will be sitting on the working party formed to take the initiative forward: Cllr Mick Cox mick40cox@fastmail.fm

Cllr Sheila Beilby Beilbv@hotmail.co.uk

Cllr Gail Nicholls gailnicholls4@gmail.com

May we also draw your attention to the new Parish Council Facebook page where you will able to follow details of all Parish related news.

https://www.facebook.com/pg/shenstoneparishcouncil/posts/?ref=page internal