The call to action is being made as details are revealed of two funds that have been set up to support facilities that South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture (SLLC) will have to withdraw from due to funding pressures and rising costs.

The SLLC Board decided on Wednesday 28 February that its £7 million funding gap for 2024-25 means they have to withdraw services from 28 community halls and other facilities and seven libraries. More details are available from their website. 

However, thanks to a £1 million Community Fightback Fund (CFF) that has been put in place by the council, no halls or libraries will be closed immediately.

South Lanarkshire Council Leader Joe Fagan said: “Even before the board met to consider its budget, we had listened to our local communities and worked with SLLC to guarantee the immediate future of some of the 37 facilities that were on an initial list of at-risk locations.

“And now, after the council’s own budget secured £1m for the Community Fightback Fund, the doors will be kept open and the lights on at all halls while we all work together to determine their longer-term future.

“This will be for an initial month while we invite local groups to register an interest in taking on their local halls as a community-managed asset. Further funding will be available beyond the end of April too, where there is real interest in a takeover.

“The Community Fightback Fund will also keep open the seven libraries that SLLC require to withdraw from. That will provide time for plans to be developed for alternative models of provision, using the second of the council’s new funds, the £150,000 Future Libraries Fund.

“Together, these two funds provide a safety net for all the local facilities impacted by the funding pressures on the council and SLLC. And I urge any groups who think they can find a good community use for any affected halls to get in touch work with us to help give them a long-term future.”

Any groups wishing to register an interest is urged to email the council before 31 March 2024, though expressions of interest will be considered during the month thereafter.

Groups which use that period to register and confirm they have a credible interest in their local hall will be able to apply for further funding so that SLLC can keep it open for a number of further months while their community asset transfer application proceeds.

Funding arrangements could include access to Renewable Energy Funds (REF) that are administered by the council, if the community hall or other facility is located in one of the REF areas in Clydesdale, East Kilbride and Strathaven. Other areas may benefit from further CFF funding.

As well as approval for the two new funds, when the council’s budget was agreed on 21 February a proposed cut in the management fee paid to SLLC to provide leisure and culture services was halved to £750,000.

Councillor Fagan announced that this reduction would mean Whitehill Neighbourhood Centre in Hamilton will remain open.  He also announced that the CFF would be used to guarantee Hollandbush Golf Course’s future for a year while its members draw-up long-term plans.