Plans are on track for the community to take over Marsden Mechanics Hall.
More than 80 people attended a public meeting to show the strength of support.
The meeting gave its unanimous backing to the principle of seeking ‘community ownership’ of the hall.
If no group takes it on, the hall will be mothballed or sold.
Marsden Mechanics Management Association’s annual general meeting was told that an ‘asset transfer’ was possible.
Tom Lonsdale, out-going chairman of the association, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have such strong support from the community in Marsden.
“This sends a very strong message to Kirklees Council that we are serious about taking the whole building over.”
The association has applied for a grant to carry out a ‘pre-feasibility study’, initial work towards setting out a business plan to run the Mechanics Hall as a financially viable community-owned building.
Project manager Barney Stevenson said: “In reality the term ‘asset transfer’ is a bit of misnomer. It might be better called ‘liability transfer’.
“We have to look very closely at whether the running costs we stand to inherit from Kirklees Council for the building’s upkeep can be afforded from the income the building earns from its tenants and hirers.
“We want to look at options, such as building an extension to the Mechanics on land adjacent to the hall, that could increase the building’s capability and also create new rentable space.
“We need to get legal advice on creating a new incorporated organisation that is able to take on the ownership of the hall and we need to consult the whole community of Marsden on the proposals.”
Many people attending the AGM expressed an interest in becoming more involved with the asset transfer work and in running the hall, which will continue to be managed in the short term under the current lease from Kirklees by the association.
Seven new committee members were elected or co-opted from Marsden residents attending the AGM.
There will be a meeting early in the New Year to move plans forward, by which time the result of the grant application to help with pre-feasibility work will be known.
