Future of former Oswestry youth centre in the balance amid news of major repair costs

Oswestry Town Council has been looking to take over the lease of The Centre, from Shropshire Council and looking for potential tenants.

But with news of the huge cost of repair, including major work on the roof, councillors are being asked whether they want to pause moving forward with the project.

The Centre - originally the Centre North West youth building - was relaunched as a "new state-of the-art youth centre" by Shropshire Council in December 2012 with a host of activities and projects in place.

It followed a £2.4 million My Place grant and £400,000 from the Department of Education.

However funding cuts and the way youth services are funded has meant that the building has been under used.

One of the few projects based in the building at the moment is the Community Interest Company, Osnosh.

Earlier this year, Oswestry Town Council agree to move forward with taking over the lease with partners.

However, a report from town clerk Arren Roberts to the town council meeting on Wednesday urges caution.

The report says the project has now reached a stage where decisions, which have a significant implication, need to be made.

It says: "Improving and increasing youth provision have been priorities for the Council over a number of years and the funding of the town’s weekly youth club was a first step in providing services. These are expensive to commission and require specialist staff to deliver and therefore Council have considered the project could facilitate additional youth provision (which it could do) without

"Alongside partners, the Council have been working towards making the Centre a community hub and working towards the common goal of supporting the wellbeing of the people of Oswestry of all ages.”

The report says the major hurdle in negotiations has been the condition of the building. The town council commissioned an independent assessment in July 2022, and this provided a prioritised list of defects.

"It is evident that a number of issues have been ongoing since the building was first built with the condition of the roof particularly poor," the report adds.

"The failure of the roof coverings has resulted in water damage to ceilings, plaster and other finishes.

"Estimates for the cost of repairs to the roof are: patch repairs – to repair the current list of failures circa £50,000, full repair of the roof £150,000.

"The surveyor estimates that in order to bring the building back into a good condition and one which a prospective tenant could not challenge is circa £250,000."

Councillors will hear that the annual maintenance costs could be £25,000 a year.

Mr Roberts' report says : "Given that the Council is currently delivering two large capital schemes, Members will also need to consider, the ability to deliver the vision for the building, how this project sits alongside other projects, the cost benefit analysis of the potential use of £250,000.

"A further verbal update will be provided at the Council meeting however, ,members may wish to consider whether a pause is the best way forward."