Nottingham City Council’s leader has admitted that some community centres could close under new plans to reduce financial support for their operation.
The Labour-run authority had previously proposed charging community centres market rents as part of efforts to achieve financial sustainability. This would have increased rents from as low as £10 per year to as high as £30,000 per year for some centres.
However, following criticism from leaders of several community centres, the council agreed to charge rents on a “cost-neutral” basis, meaning they would only recover costs incurred by the council. Under the new arrangements, community centres would also be responsible for repairs and maintenance costs.
At an Executive Board meeting on Tuesday, 18th March, senior councillors endorsed plans for a transition period. This includes agreeing outline terms with centres by September, with new leases to begin by April 2026 at the latest.
Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Neghat Khan, Leader of Nottingham City Council, said:
“What we will do in this one-year transition period is enable and empower them, giving them all the tools they need to be successful.
“I think if I am realistic, out of the 35, do I think every one will stay open? There is a possibility [of closure].
“We will give them all the tools they need. I live in the real world, so I think some might have to close because they just won’t be able to adapt to that new approach.”
Cllr Khan attributed the council’s struggles to maintain its centres to “14 years of Conservative austerity.” Recent issues include the closure of the Rise Park Community Centre in January, which was deemed unsafe, and the impending closure of the Marcus Garvey Centre and Lenton Business Centre due to fire safety concerns.
Cllr Kevin Clarke, Leader of the Nottingham Independents and Independent Group, added:
“While it is welcome that the council has departed from the prospect of market rents, the spectre of overhanging repairs still looms over these centres.
“We’ve seen recent announcements of closures at Rise Park Community Centre and Marcus Garvey Centre due to outstanding repairs.
“In my opinion, the repairs to some of these centres are going to be the noose around the neck of community centres.”
