Tag: Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre

Back from the Brink: Last minute reprieve for local community centres

PRENTICE CENTRE REMAINS CLOSED FOR NOW

TWO North Edinburgh community centres were saved from closure following a last-ditch intervention by councillors at a marathon council meeting yesterday.

Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre was braced for closure this summer following months of uncertainty over funding, while the voluntary management board of West Granton Community Trust announced on Monday that the Prentice Centre also faced closure due to spiralling running costs.

Councillors unanimously agreed a composite motion after three similar motions were submitted on Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre:

Noting that there are three motions tabled on Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre, this
amendment is to composite motion 8.3 by Councillor Day (Drylaw Neighbourhood
Centre) with motion 8.4 by Councillor Osler (Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre) and
motion 8.12 by Councillor Nicolson (Save Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre).
Amends the text of motion 8.3 as follows:

“Council;

  1. notes the work towards a model of 20-minute neighbourhoods across the
    city which requires the development of strong local community facilities that
    are locally and easily accessible for all residents.
  2. recognises the critical role that neighbourhood and community centres play
    in our communities, not only providing services to those of all ages, but also
    in maintaining safe places for people to meet and spend time.
  3. notes the board of Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre have made clear that the
    centre is not going to survive financially beyond summer without one-off
    funding support from the council.
  4. thanks officers for their actions so far in offering advice and some practical
    support to the organisation but regrets this has not managed to help the
    centre reach a positive outcome.
  5. agrees that officers should work with Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre’s
    Management Committee to create a sound and sustainable financial
    arrangement that allows the Centre to continue over the long term.

Yesterday’s marathon full council meeting also agreed the following Addendum, which was moved by new Forth SNP councillor Stuart Dobbin and seconded by his SNP collague, Invereleith’s Vicky Nicholson, who was also elected in May.

The Addendum reads:

  1. Notes the decision by West Granton Community Trust (announced on June
    27th) to close the Prentice Centre in a matter of months unless immediate
    action is taken.
  2. Recognises the critical role that the Prentice Centre plays in the community
    it serves, not only providing services to those of all ages, but also in
    maintaining safe places for people to meet and spend time.
  3. Agrees therefore to also delegate to the Director of Education and Children
    Services to award £50,000 from Council Unallocated Reserves for the
    Prentice Centre to ensure the Centre can remain open and continue serving
    the community in the short term. The award of grant is subject to appropriate
    due diligence, including grant conditions on expenditure and assurances
    from the Centre on additional funding being secure.
  4. Agrees that due to the number of community-run centres facing closure due
    to financial strain, that a report is brought to Council in one cycle identifying
    those under financial strain and where additional resources can be made
    available to keep valuable community resources open. This report should
    also consider the state of management in the community-run centre sector
    and recommend principles for the relationship between CEC and centres on
    financial matters.

The eleventh hour funding agreement does not guarantee that either Centre will remain open long term, but it does at least give both of these valuable community resources some time and support to explore other options to ensure their survival.

The council decision of short-term financial support will come as a huge relief to staff and management committees in particular but also the hundreds of residents of all ages who support their local community centres.

The work must begin now to ensure that both Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre and The Prentice Centre can look forward to sustainable futures.

UPDATE:

West Granton Community Hub Manager Moira Fanning has been in touch (Saturday 2 July) to say that the Prentice Centre “remains CLOSED as negotiations with the Council have not been finalised”.

I will post more information when it becomes available.

Community council to launch fortnightly litter picks

DRYLAW/Telford Community Council is to introduced fortnightly litter picks across the area following the success of a recent cleanup on the cycle path near the Red Bridge.

The first one takes place this Sunday – location and meeting time will be confirmed when the community council meets at Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre tonight.

To get involved, to suggest clean-up hot spots or for further information check out Drylaw Telford Community Council on Facebook or email CC secretary Pam Higgins at pamhigginsdtcc@gmail.com

SUPPORT THE CAMPAIGN TO SAVE DRYLAW NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRE

Emergency! Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre faces summer closure

Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre faces closure this summer unless £70,000 can to found to meet essential running costs.

Drylaw Community Association chair Alex Dale told a meeting of Drylaw Telford Community Council that please for council support have fallen on deaf ears and that the Centre is gearing up for another ‘Save DNC’ campaign – the second in four years.

With restricted opening and restrictions imposed during the Covid-19 pandemic, membership has fallen and efforts to re-engage with the local community were thwarted by lockdown.

The Centre continues to operate a number of groups and activities but these will be put in jeopardy if core funding for running costs cannot be found. The deadline is seriously tight – Alex said Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre will close in June or July if no financial support is forthcoming.

Drylaw Telford Community Council, who recently resumed their monthly meetings in the Neighbourhood Centre, agreed to submit a letter of support at last night’s meeting.

Zoom no more as Drylaw Telford Community Council meets face-to-face

Two years to the day Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the UK’s first lockdown, Drylaw Telford Community Council meets in person again tonight.

February’s community council trialled face-to-face meetings and, with restrictions being lifted, it was agreed that Drylaw Telford will continue to meet in public.

Tonight’s meeting, at Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre, starts at 7pm.

While much has changed in the last two years – whoever heard of Zoom pre-Covid? – some issues remain the same:

Inverleith Neighbourhood Network to meet next week

There’s a distictly Drylaw flavour to next week’s Inverleith Neighbourhood Network meeting.

Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre will be giving a presentation to the meeting in a ‘Getting To Know You’ session and Easter Drylaw Park has also been tabled as an agenda item.

The meeting, which will take place online using TEAMS, will be held on Monday 6th December from 6 – 7.30pm.

AGENDA

  1. Welcome and introductions
  2. Minute of meeting of 12th October 2021
  3. Getting to know you – Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre
  4. Local Community Planning Partnership (LCPP)- Verbal update from Joan Beattie, Rep on LCPP from this group
  5. Progressing Inverleith NN priority – Greenspace and community growing subgroup – verbal update
  6. Community Grants Fund – discussion
  7. Easter Drylaw Park issues – discussion
  8. AOCB
  9. Date and format of next gathering

For further information contact North West Lifelong Learning Development Officer, Elaine Lennon: email Elaine.Lennon@edinburgh.gov.uk