Lib Dems Welcome Funding Success For New Community Centre (Oxford West and Abingdon Liberal Democrats)

Oxford West and Abingdon Liberal Democrats <info@oxwablibdems.org.uk>

Lib Dems Welcome Funding Success For New Community Centre

March 12, 2007 3:44 PM

Residents of Wootton and Dry Sandford looking at and discussing the plans

Local residents discuss the plans for the new community centre

Liberal Democrats in the Vale have welcomed the recent confirmation of National Lottery grant funding for a new community centre to serve Wootton and Dry Sandford. The National Lottery advised Wootton Parish Council on 17th February that a bid for funding has been accepted in principle.

A development grant will be given under the Community Buildings Programme of the Big Lottery Fund for major capital funding. The grant is financial aid to help progress the community's 'stage two' application as part of the Community Buildings Programme.

The planned new hall is intended to provide the local community with a redeveloped and refurbished centre which is welcoming and attractive on the outside whilst functionally well designed on the inside, subject to the community fulfilling the requirements of the 'stage two' application.

The project team will now be required to stick to a nine month timetable for preparing and planning for the works to build the new community centre, including seeking tenders for the work. Once all the preparatory work has been concluded, the application can be submitted to the National Lottery to fund construction. Building work could start by Easter 2008 and be completed by Christmas.

Wootton Councillor Chris Wise said: "This is a major achievement for the local community in Wootton and Dry Sandford. A lot of people need to be thanked for their efforts in securing this grant, which would not have been agreed without the necessary preparatory work of a number of people. We still have some way to go and in particular we need to find a surveyor to provide a voluntary valuation of the land comprising the existing community centre. This work should take just a couple of hours to complete and we are hoping that by advertising locally we will find someone to help us."