Issue - meetings

In accordance with Paragraphs 6.24 and 6.25 of the Area Committee Procedure Rules, at the discretion of the Chair a period of up to 10 minutes may be allocated at each ordinary meeting for members of the public to make representations or to ask questions on matters within the terms of reference of the Area Committee.  This period of time may be extended at the discretion of the Chair.  No member of the public shall speak for more than three minutes in the Open Forum, except by permission of the Chair.

In accordance with the powers outlined in the Area Committee Procedure rules for members of the public to make representations or to ask questions within the terms of reference of Area Committees, the committee received a representation from the Chapeltown Community Centre Action Group (CCCAG).

The CCCAG had raised concerns regarding the review of community facilities in Chapeltown following the Area Committee’s decision not to support the release of land for the purposes of building a new community centre in Chapeltown and a group representative attended the meeting to address these concerns. 

Concerns focussed on the data and conclusions of the community facilities review along with gaps in provision and it was reported that CCCAG had planned meetings with community facility providers in Chapeltown to gather further information on facilities available and their views on a new community centre.  There was also to be a public meeting to update people on progress with the Joint Service Centre and to present options for the group and decide the way forward as a community.  The CCCAG reported that should the outcome of these meetings be that a new community centre for Chapeltown was considered to be the best way forward then they would seek the support of the Council and the provision to purchase land at market value.

In response to the CCCAG representations, Members were reminded that the review of community facilities in Chapeltown had been instigated following a deputation to full Council.  Area Management staff were due to meet with community facility providers in the new year and a further update would be provided to the Committee in February or March 2007.  It was also recognised that Chapeltown already had a large number of community facilities for a small area and there were other considerations such as the Chapeltown Road Development Plan.