Resident angry at Shelley Village Hall ‘on the cheap’

A VILLAGER is angry over the proposed sell-off of the lease of Shelley Village Hall “on the cheap”.

Kirkheaton resident Neil Richardson expressed his concerns after reading that agreement had been reached in principle to sell the 125 lease to Shelley Community Association for £10,000 – just £80 a year rent.

Mr Richardson pointed out that Kirkheaton was also part of the Kirkburton Parish Council area.

“Along with the people of the other 10 villagers, every household pays an extra council tax which goes to the Kirkburton Parish Council to support all types of extras in all our villagers,” he said.

“There is no such facility in Kirkheaton and there has just been a consultation in the village regarding the feasibility of a community centre/cafe.

“Where will the money to fund it come from?”

“I suggest that the Shelley Village Hall sale price be increased to £45,000, that is 10 years’ rent, an amount which Shelley Community Association can easily afford.

“Their accounts registered with the Charity Commission for October 2009, show £50.879 cash-in-hand, with a profit of £3,488 for that year. In 2009/2010 they paid £4,500 rent to the parish council, who paid out £6,626 for repairs and improvements and at the same time the association requested and received £750 for a garden bench.

“There are other villagers in the parish bigger than Shelley yet they have no community centre. They presumably would like to share the amount raised by the proposed sale for some facilities.

“All these facts can be checked on the Kirkburton Parish Council website or in the council’s annual report available at the local libraries.

“In the annual report it actually says that the parish council is negotiating to sell the building, so the association would be getting an even better bargain for their £10,000.

“Should the association acquire their own building, which has been well looked after, there will be no rent to pay. This saving will cover their insurance and repairs. Their profits will no doubt continue to cover their day-to-day expenses.

“Mrs Ann Priestman says in the interview that their councillors were not allowed to participate in any discussions during council meetings. Surely she is aware that as president of an association that in associations, societies and in particular, public bodies, any member must declare an interest in any topic under discussion and not participate in the discussion or decision.”

The MP for the district has vowed to help broker the deal for the community association to take over the hall lease.

Simon Reevell, the MP for Dewsbury which includes the Kirkburton district, was one of more than 100 residents to attend a public meeting about the future of the hall.

The well-used centre, home to dozens of local groups including a drama group, Brownies, an over 60s club and music concerts, is owned by Kirkburton Parish Council, has been operated for more than 30 years by the Shelley Village Hall Committee.

The deal to sell the lease was first announced in November 2009, but it has been stalling amid confusion about who would own the building.

With the lease due to expire in July 2012, Mr Reevell, has now stepped in to help speed up negotiations between the two groups. He has written to both parties in a bid to set up a meeting.

Community association chairman Ann Priestman said the plan was designed to let them take more control of their own destiny and not an exercise in cost cutting.

She said: “We’re very close to having a situation that both sides are happy with, it’s just that extra understanding between both sides that is needed.

“Too much time, money and energy is spent channelling discussions through surveyors and solicitors, which can lead to expensive misunderstandings – it’s like Chinese whispers.

“We had met officers from the council informally but any amicable agreements reached were never implemented. We never knew why because decisions were taken behind closed doors and village councillors have to leave the room when their village is discussed.”

Mrs Priestman said the association had never been in talks to buy the actual building but said the lease deal would allow them control the premises and build an extension on it.

She added: “The parish council have themselves declared the offer to be the purchase of the building and have continued to phrase it this way.

“As they were asking just £10,000 it seemed a real bargain and folk were wondering why we were spending time hesitating and worrying about the details.

“But it is not the site we are buying, it is the lease, which is a full repairing lease, so we have to make sure we can commit to all the new liabilities, and to see if we can build in support from the parish council down the line.”

Kirklees and Kirkburton Parish councillor, Clr Andrew Cooper, who formulated the lease sale plan, said: “It’s not ownership as such, but it’s as good as.

“If you get a building for 125 years for £10,000 that’s as good as ownership.

“We want the people to have their own village hall and to have control over it and we’ve tried to do that at the cheapest possible price we legally can do.”