Background to proposed closure

[Ian]

8:29
From: Ray Heeks
To: ANDERSON, Janet
Sent: Wednesday, November 21, 2007 8:29 PM
Subject: Royd's Report on BwD Community Centres

Thanks Janet.
I will forward the reply from Chris Thayne for info which is a little confusing and ask that all Councillors call for a Public statement from the relevant Council Department to allay fears (and action we are about to take !) if what Chris says is Correct.
Thanks Ray

[Ian]

From: "Ray Heeks" <[e-mail]>
To: "Smith Dave Cllr" <[e-mail]>
Sent: Wednesday, November 21, 2007 8:37 PM
Subject: Re: Sudellside Community Centre and closures in the Borough


Thanks Dave
There seems to be a lot of confusion as one Councillor is telling me one thing and another one something else! I am against the closure of all Community Centres as they are all jewels in our crown and a base for all.
All I know is what I have seen and of late Community Centres are being ran down so everything seems to fit into place. The information presented is not just hear say as such either as it is a report which has been commissioned with a sole aim which is now quite apparent.
It would be pleasing no matter which administration set the wheels in motion if the document was publicly buried with a statement from the Council rather than allowing rumour mongering. If this is not going to happen then it is crystal clear what the Council intended doing which we will not allow.
It would be a great help if you could lend your weight to enlightening those who need the guidance in the Council Corridors so that the correct information is being sent out.
With Thanks Ray Heeks

[Ian]

From: "Ray Heeks" <[e-mail]>
To: <[e-mail]>
Sent: Wednesday, November 21, 2007 8:41 PM
Subject: Community Centre Closures

Hi Andrew
Further to the story in previous nights Telegraphs about the Community Centre Closures I have asked Councillors to Support us in the fight against closures of Community Centres especially Sudellside where I am involved as a Volunteer with around 105 children practicing martial arts in around 7 classes 2 nights a week.
I have received some replies from Councillors who tell me the report recommendations are not going to be carried out and have been used for scaremongering. If this is the case I am issuing a challenge to the Council to come out of the woodwork and denounce the report and its findings. Publicly.
If this is not done then I am going to go ahead with the plans I have made to fight this cause which will not paint our Council departments in a very good light at all.
Communication is the key and so far there has been non on behalf of our Council and they are starting to look like incompetent buffoons for the following reasons:
1) Why ask for a report to be done on a Community centre which has good usage although staffing by the Council has been reduced?
2) Why has a spokesperson from the Council not allayed fears after they where raised and have even admitted there had been a review with recommendation of closures as a result ?
3) If the findings are untrue (which it seems in the case of Sudellside ), who provided the information and why are they not sacked?
4) Who in the Council pays thousands of pounds of Council tax payers money for a review and then dismiss it ?
5) Can we get our money back from this review?

It seems clear to me the Council department responsible need to get their act together to sort this out. How about a little transparency and truthfulness ? .... I forgot this is Blackburn with Darwen the land of Political Scoring and it seems the Citizens of our land are once again the last to be informed and yet again another plan of what could be has been unearthed.
I only hope the Council are not their usual slow selves to respond to this before the people who pay for them let them know where they stand at the forthcoming meeting on the 27th Nov at Sudellside.

I have enclosed a copy of my letter below sent out to Councillors and since receiving replies also asked Councillors to get onto the relevant department to issue a statement to allay fears.
I do hope you can help summon some support.
With Thanks Ray Heeks Volunteer...
Darwen School of Kung Fu...............

[Ian]

From: "Ray Heeks" <[e-mail]>
To: <[e-mail]>
Sent: Wednesday, November 21, 2007 10:43 PM
Subject: Closure of Blackburn and Darwen Community Centres

Ray Heeks
Dear ITV News Team
I contact you for your help as our local Authority (Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council) have seen fit to commision a report called the Royds Review which has recommended the closing of Some Community Centres In Blackburn and Darwen and also transfering some to other departments even though most Community Centres are thriving places of Community togetherness at the highest level.I am now arranging a War party from the Community to fight the closures and safeguard much needed provision in our Community.

I have lobbied a lot of Councillors concerning this but I am getting mixed messages. Some are saying its terrible and they will help us make a stand where others are saying that what is being said is untrue and will not happen. I have asked for a statement be made by the Council to let the Public where they stand to allay fears of which I await and to be honest do not think will happen.

I have included below a copy of what I have sent to Councillors and just wondered if you could make the meeting/report about this important local issue or even get a statement from the Council about it?
An Emergency meeting has been called at Sudellside Community
Centre, Sudellside Street in Darwen on Tuesday the 27th of November.
I do hope you can help our Community retain its identity as the Councils actions would be a further erosion of our Community and would be a step towards making our area's no-go zones.
We do hope you can help?
With Thanks Ray Heeks (message below).
(Message ommitted as it is the one to Janet Anderson and Councillors)

[Ian]

From: Smith Dave Cllr
To: Ray Heeks
Sent: Wednesday, November 21, 2007 10:50 PM
Subject: FW: Royd’s summary and press release

Hi Ray,
Copy of press release as promised.

Cheers.
(Forum Admin. has placed these under the date they were first sent out -14/11/07)

[Ian]

From: "Barrett Moira Cllr" <[e-mail]>
To: "Ray Heeks" <[e-mail]>
Cc: "_Members Labour" <[e-mail]>
Sent: Thursday, November 22, 2007 8:42 AM
Subject: RE: Sudellside Community Centre and closures in the Borough


Hi Ray,
I share your sentiments entirely, and as you know I am aware of all that you do in the community, we at Earcroft Community do not have a centre or even a base now and you are also aware of all the work that was done from our cupboard we had at Darwen Football Club and then the crypt at the church. We now use the Children's Centre once a month for meetings, but we have not a venue to put on events. So I know how debilitating it is trying to do the most simplest of things.
I have passed onto some of our members a copy of the petition that we are supporting.
Unfortunately I will not be able to attend your event on the 27th as we in the Labour Party have called a special Council Meeting to air our views on not just this, but the nonsense of the decision of the merging of the two great community festivals held in Blackburn.
You know that you have my full support Ray, we will do all that we can.
See you soon
Moira

[Ian]

From: "Hilton Mark" <[e-mail]>
To: <[e-mail]>
Cc: "Fernandes Christine" <[e-mail]>
Sent: Thursday, November 22, 2007 11:13 AM
Subject: RE: Sudellside Community Centre and closures in the Borough


Dear Ray,

I will be attending the meeting on 27th and expect that many people will have views as strong as yours and that I will be left in no doubt as to the strength of local feeling

What I would say is that the Royd’s review is independent and is not the Council's view

Whilst they did say that in their view the Council should consider
closing Sudellside, the ruling group have said that they don't want to support that recommendation but want to consult further over a period of six months. This does not mean that the Council has made any sort of decision about the future of the Centre

Of course the work that you and your group do is well recognised across the Borough, as is the work done by other groups within Sudellside too, indeed the Borough wide Credit Union began as a savings club at the Centre

I look forward to seeing you on Tuesday

regards

Mark

[Ian]

From: "Mulla Salim Cllr" <[e-mail]>
To: "Bateson Maureen Cllr" <[e-mail]>; "Ray Heeks"
<[e-mail]>
Cc: "_Members Labour" <[e-mail]>
Sent: Thursday, November 22, 2007 11:50 AM
Subject: RE: Sudellside Community Centre and closures in the Borough



I don't think you have said anything wrong in your email, you seem to be a committed community orientated man, well done for the magnificent work you have done. I agree with all the comments you have made.

My short comments are as follows.

Community centres are the hub for all the community for any part of borough, I fought for the one to be developed / extension built in Audley area many years ago with City Challenge funding. It would be a sad day for Blackburn and Darwen if we are too loose any community centres. I think all community centres, committees and members of public needs to be involved in organising a fight to retain all the community centres.

Maureen is correct in saying we are all committed to improving community centres. It is one place where all members of community can get together, talk, make friends, enjoy events, discuss, have contact with Council officers on daily basis.

Petition is good, but I would go a little bit further.

Mr Heeks, instead of you organising something at Sudellside Community Centre, I would say, you should be outside the Blackburn Town Hall on the same night, with all the children at 5.00pm with many Labour Cllr standing with you with placards, then come into Town Hall with all the children and members of public at 6.00pm for the Council meeting. Show the ruling group your anger.

You should also ask for support of all community centres committees in both Blackburn and Darwen.

This is how strong I feel about closure of any community centre.

Regards


Cllr Salim Mulla

[Ian]

From: Smith Dave Cllr
To: Ray Heeks
Sent: Thursday, November 22, 2007 10:37 PM
Subject: FW: Royds summary and press release

Hi Ray,

As you can see, Cllr Dave Hollings sent this to Ivy Oglesby, Florence Eccles, Janice Parker & Frank Lang (members of Darwen Community Assoc) on the 14th November.

Cheers.
Dave.



________________________________________
From: Hollings David Cllr
Sent: 14 November 2007 22:41
To: 'ivy.oglesby1'; 'Florence Eccles'; 'Janice Parker'; '[e-mail]'
Cc: Smith Dave Cllr
Subject: FW: Royds summary and press release
I thought that you might find the attached useful. Please pass it on to anyone else you think might want to see it at Central Darwen and Sudellside Community Centres as both centres are affected.

The Royds Review report has been with the Council, I understand, for about 10 weeks. We have been asking to see it for weeks but this has been refused. I still have not seen the full report.

Thanks

Dave

[Ian]

From: Ray Heeks [mailto:[e-mail]]
Sent: 22 November 2007 22:55
To: Smith Dave Cllr
Subject: Re: Royds Review
Just wondered in case someone in the Council has sat on it in the hope of getting it through with the minimum of fuss.I also wondered if anyone had been approached to buy the land at Sudell to build houses if Sudell was demolished?
Thanks for your help
Ray

[Ian]

From: Smith Dave Cllr
To: Ray Heeks
Sent: Thursday, November 22, 2007 11:02 PM
Subject: RE: Royds Review

Thanks Ray,

Yes, apparently some of the coalition Councillors (those on the Executive) knew about the report for weeks. I kept asking for it for months but was always told ''it wasn't ready''.

I don't think anyone has been approached to buy the land.

We need to feed in as much opposition to the proposed closures contained in the report into the consultation in the next 6 months as possible.

Cheers.

Dave.

[Ian]

From: Ray Heeks
To: Smith Dave Cllr
Sent: Friday, November 23, 2007 12:14 AM
Subject: Re: Royds summary and press release

Yes I can see that is the case.I was told the review was commisioned last year.Why does it have 2007 on it? did it take a year to complete?
I noted that people had been asked their views but who are these people? Managers, Directors, Financial services ? If so then no wonder they want to close them as by closing some they would be effectively robbing the family silver and selling it to pay the mortgage (keeping the other centres afloat).Community Centres are not supposed to make money as they support the Communities they serve and some people within those Communities cannot afford to pay the costs that Leisure Centres or Schools ask for hire. I came out of a Church hall because the costs where crippling and I was passing it onto Students who could not afford.By moving to Sudell I managed to keep costs of lessons to just around £1.40 for Children and £1.80 for adults.If anyone is unemployed or fall on hard times we waive payments until they are on their feet financially again which is why our school is so successful as we provide a community service on a voluntary basis. Lessons in a Leisure Centre are around £3.50 for kids and £5 for adults because leisure centres want more money for rent as its a business and have higher pricing policies as well as Instructors wanting payment as they consider it a business also.

This report is basically turning the centres that remain into financially viable ones which would have to include substantial increases in rent which would leave our school back where we started or outpriced (if we have a Community Centre left to use!) . It is also recommending businesses be brought in to rent which would push community groups out as priority for rental would have to go where the money is coming from?

If I wanted to teach for money I would have done it as a business years ago and would probably be driving round in a BMW now but my Instructors taught me that to get anything out of a Community you had to put something in even if that meant being poor but happy.I was unemployed at the time and they always waived the times I was skint or would throw me some equipment for free now and again if I needed it.When I got to Brown belt they paid for me to do first aid courses and taught me how to teach until I became a black belt. A couple of years later and they handed me the reigns and I have tried to do just what they would have liked me to do if they where still here and hope my students do also when they take over from me.
Most of my Students are Children and come from the local area because of this we get invited into schools to do displays and workshops because our children extol our virtues that we teach them and the teachers see the value of our work.This value has no price so we ask for no price unless anyone wishes to donate. Our displays we give for free even though each one costs around £15 for materials and travelling.

If Community Centres became what this report hopes to achieve we would be in a bad way as we could not afford to run as we presently do let alone support the Community.This in itself would be an erosion and I don’t see how we could be supported as the report claims as it does not detail how ! It only details how to get rid or make Community centres them financially viable.

If you could pass this information on to anyone who will be present at the emergency meeting at the Town Hall on Tuesday I would be extremely grateful ?
thanks again Ray

[Ian]

From: Janet Anderson
To: Ray Heeks
Sent: Friday, November 23, 2007 11:58 PM
Subject: RE: Sudellside Community Centre and closures in the Borough

Thanks Ray,

Was not aware of this decision so hope it is correct. But I do think this issue is too important to try to score political points over it. The report, as I understand it, was indeed commissioned by the previous administration. However, that does not mean they would have accepted the findings. The decision is for the current administration and I hope they will see sense.

Very best wishes,

Janet

PS. I am copying this to Cllr Eileen Entwistle because she was telling me tonight that she has had problems trying to send you emails.

[Ian]

From: Ray Heeks [mailto:[e-mail]]
Sent: 24 November 2007 15:31
To: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Sudellside Community Centre and closures in the Borough
Thanks Janet.
That sounds very common sense but believe there are things happening such as staff being told they are going and winding down of services which seems as if someone in the Town Hall was waiting for this to happen and is now jumping the gun and making things happen which is very disturbing If this is the case and a review of the situation should be done to find out who is responsible and what reason they have for doing it and why the 6 month consultation period is not being done as the report suggests.
Many Thanks for the info
Ray

[Ian]

From: Janet Anderson
To: Ray Heeks
Sent: Saturday, November 24, 2007 8:48 PM
Subject: RE: Sudellside Community Centre and closures in the Borough

Dear Ray,

I spoke to Cllr Tony Melia and Cllr Karimeh Foster this afternoon. They both assured me that Sudellside would not close but that we had to do something to increase its usage. I am very happy to help with that in any way I can.

Very best wishes,

Janet