A community centre providing vital services for a south Leeds community is to be given protected status by the council.
Cottingley Community Centre will be added to the city’s list of assets of community value (ACVs).
The centre, home to a a GP surgery and free food service, is attended by around 600 people every week. A council report said supporters of the application for ACV status included Labour ward councillor Andrew Scopes and MP Hilary Benn.
Mr Benn said:
“This centre is the only community space in Cottingley and over the years I have seen how it is used for a wide variety of really important events and community activities.
“It is a lifeline for the local residents and I wish the application every success.”
ACV status means the centre, owned by Cottingley Community Project Board of Trustees, could be protected from closure if it was put up for sale. Community groups would be given six months to draw up their own bid to buy the centre on Cottingley Approach.
The council report said services including Cottingley GP Surgery would be left without a base if the centre was to close.
It said:
“The free shop and food pantry demand continue to rise with no signs of slowing down over the past three years since they have been open.
“Trips and activities that offer positive childhood experiences have been consistently well attended over the past 10 years, with demand rising.”
Police routinely referred young people to a youth group at the centre to help reduce crime and anti-social behaviour.
In support of the ACV application, Coun Scopes wrote:
“Cottingley Community Centre is a spring of life in a hard community that needs significant support.
“I’m extremely concerned about the prospect of the activities in the centre winding down and the impact of children in poverty, hunger in homes and fuel poverty.
“All of which are tackled in practical and real ways by the amazing volunteers in the centre.”
ACV satus was formally approved by Leeds City Council after a successful nomination by community group Cottingley Collective.
Paul Smart from the Cottingley Collective board reacted saying:
“We are happy that the council has recognised the building as an asset to the community after all there couldn’t be another conclusion. We have been speaking to residents since the trustees planned to sell and heard much sadness and distress at losing services. The Cottingley Collective will now push hard to secure the building.”
This post was written by Don Mort, Local Democracy Reporter with additional reporting by Jeremy Morton
Photo: Google
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