Solution reached over the future of community centre

The talks are a result of an incident earlier this year, when a series of ‘serious, unanswered safeguarding concerns’ led to the council taking temporary possession of the community centre in West Road.

Over the coming months, the council will be working to reopen the centre on a limited basis for the ‘benefit of the community’, with a full launch anticipated early in 2017 under a new charitable community association.

A release by the council said: “Further work is needed around some of the legal and financial detail. The intention is that the lease of Fishersgate Community Centre will be held by the district council temporarily, to enable the council to work with the local community and partners to develop plans for a new future for the centre, at the heart of Fishersgate.

Neil Parkin, Adur District Council leader said: “I am very pleased to see a positive outcome for Fishersgate following months of uncertainty. Council members, officers, lawyers and the community have worked tirelessly to reach this point, and I am sure that the centre will once again become a hub for all in Fishersgate to enjoy.”

The council will facilitate a public meeting in the next few months to set out the plans to get the centre up and running again, and will be forming an interim management committee to oversee the process.

By the end of the summer, it is hoped that the cafe and playground will be open, and that the committee will be inviting local residents to become part of the wider organisation which will run the centre in the future.

The Herald contacted chairman of Fishersgate Community Association Peter Averillo, but he refused to comment on the talks at this time.

Any readers interested in finding out more should contact Lee Billingham through the council Communities Team on 01273 263311 or by emailing [email protected]

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