Are our community centres up for sale?

Havering Residents Association received an anonymous envelope through the post containing an Agenda of meeting held on 24th January between Havering’s Conservative Cabinet and Council Officers.

The Agenda items list was short with Agenda Item 2 being the most worrying and disturbing – “ASSET DISPOSAL (Pages 1-8)”

Pages 1-8 contained details of 44 assets Havering own and are looking to dispose of. This included maps, site names, ward, planning risk, how many properties they could get on the site, current land values and how the disposal would be managed.

The assets that are listed include car parks, community and social halls, libraries, land including green belt land and a number of other sites. 10 community/social halls are at risk, 1 library, 10 car parks and 10 plots of land.

Councillor Gillian Ford, Chair of the H.R.A said. “This document is of huge concern and a real risk to community cohesion. Let’s just consider one element of the report community halls. The implications of taking away community centres and social halls, what does that leave our communities with? There are country wide debates around isolation particularly as we come out of COVID lockdowns, how do we enhance our offer, how do we get intergenerational interactions, and what community events and social events can take place without the building at the heart of that community? We cannot turn around to our residents and say the money we are making here is going to be spent on your roads and pavements, when they have nowhere to go to.” 

If the H.R.A are successful in taking the administration on 5th May, they have vowed to review all existing projects including Asset Disposal, their suitability, viability and seek alternative proposals.

In response to this, Councillor Dilip Patel, Havering’s former and most successful Mayor, told the Havering Daily:

“We have no plans to dispose of schools, parks, community centres of other community assets. Indeed the council is at the moment, for example, building a new sports centre in Rainham and acquiring land for a new school in Romford. It has always been the case that where a facility is that where a facility is not used of needed or re-provided elsewhere alternative uses are considered.
However, in all cases, any decision will be subject to a formal decision by councillors, and consultation with respective stakeholders.

“You mentioned specifically your interest in community centres. I think it is important to note that almost all of the Borough’s community centres are leased to local community associations who operate these facilities on a day to day basis. Any decisions related to the future of centres would need to defer to the present lease arrangements. No arbitrary decisions could be made without reference to these agreements and the engagement with the responsible community associations.”