A meeting will be held on Wednesday 18 November at 7pm in Portpatrick Village Hall, to discuss the future plans for the Hall.
The Village Hall in Portpatrick was included in Community Asset transfer plans agreed at Full Council in February last year, at the request of the Portpatrick Trust. However, the transfer has not been completed due to a change of direction within the Portpatrick Trust. Our Council is keen to hear the views of the local community, and to see whether there’s an appetite from within the community to take on the running of the Village Hall.
The Community Asset Transfer programme is part of the Council’s plans to hand over local buildings to local communities. Our Council has been successful in transferring assets to the community in various areas of the region in recent months. The community in which the facility sits in effectively take on the running of the facility, handle bookings, take in hall fees and deal directly with users who have any operational issues with the facility. The transfer of the facilities are part of the Council’s budget saving plans. An estimated amount has already been saved thanks to local communities coming forward to take over the running of facilities.
Chairman of the Council’s Community and Customer Services, Tom McAughtrie spoke ahead of the meeting. He said;
”I would encourage anyone who has an interest of the Village Hall in Portpatrick to get themselves along to the meeting on 18 November. It’s a chance to air views, and hear about the many benefits that the Community Asset Transfer programme can offer the local and wider community of Portpatrick. The scheme has really taken off in the region, and I hope that the people of Portpatrick engage and work with Council officers to preserve the future of the Village Hall, both on a short and longer term basis. Council officers will be happy to put people in touch with hall committees who are happy with the arrangements.”
The meeting starts at 7pm in the Village Hall on Wednesday 18 November.
Main Photo Copyright R.B Photography
