THREE influential community centres in Basingstoke are set for nearly £500,000 worth of funding after the borough council’s cabinet agreed to support them.

At a cabinet meeting at Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council (BDBC) offices on Tuesday, December 6, members agreed to communities and community safety portfolio holder Cllr Simon Bound’s recommendations to offer £420,000 to the Irish Community Centre (ICC) and Basingstoke Carnival Hall Community Centre (BCHCC), both in Council Road, and Chute House, in Church Street.

The money will be distributed to the centres, after a feasibility study to determine the amount each group would receive, in order to help with tasks such as building maintenance.

It was also agreed that the organisations would continue to run the centres themselves.

Cllr Paul Harvey, leader of the labour group, said after the meeting: “We really welcome the council’s decision to support and retain both Carnival Hall and the Irish Centre – both of which are well used as community halls and well run by their community organisations.

“Focus now will be to continue to make these buildings a success and get money so they can continue doing their amazing work.”

He added: “We want to see them continue to be successful. We welcome the decision and want to make sure the facilities are secure and this is something we will continue to challenge cabinet on.”

A joint campaign between ICC and BCHCC was launched in July, after the owners of the centres felt the building’s futures could be threatened within BDBC’s Top of The Town redevelopment plan.

It was feared both buildings could be knocked down and forced to share one premises. 

But following a BDBC community, environment and partnerships committee meeting in September, which was attended by more than 70 campaigners from both organisations, Cllr Bound recommended funding be given.

Cllr Harvey, who spoke at the meeting, questioned whether the ICC’s bar may have to be removed, as possibly suggested in a previous meeting.
Although no answer was given, Cllr Bound said: “All that we can say is that new community buildings will not usually contain a bar.”

Cllr Harvey added: “We will continue to understand whether the bar [at the Irish Centre] will be affected as this bar creates and generates funds which directly effect the charity that is run at the centre and is an important tool to help it sustain itself.”

Andy McFadden, chairman of the ICC, said: “We’re over the moon with this decision.”