'We had to secure its future': Town council takes on community centre and sets aside £250k for work

Oswestry Town Council took over The Centre on Oak Street this week from Shropshire Council.

The authority said it had taken the decision to safeguard the future of the facility for the people of the town.

Opened by Shropshire Council in 2012, The Centre was intended to be a state-of-the-art home for the town’s youth services.

But, it has been beset by a number of challenges, not least Shropshire Council’s perilous financial position.

The town council said the condition of the building's roof is particularly poor, resulting in water damage to ceilings, walls and other finishes.

It said that discussions over taking ownership started in 2022 as part of councillors' desire to improve youth provision in the town, and make sure the building was being used to its full capacity.

In a statement the council said that during the talks it had spoken with tenants, and received a details survey outlining the building's defects, before councillors decided to proceed with taking over.

The town council said it has committed to repairing the roof on the building.

It said that although the move "comes at a significant cost", it wants to create a "vibrant community hub with a focus on young people".

It added that the move would also provide a secure base for community groups, including OsNosh, St John Ambulance, SYA and TNSFC Foundation.

Oswestry's mayor, Councillor Mike Isherwood said: “As well as providing a desperately needed youth facility, The Centre has become a community hub for all ages.

"The prospect of losing such an important asset doesn’t bear thinking about. We had to secure its future, and to create an opportunity for more services to be delivered from it.”

Oswestry resident Mandy Chase added: “It is a fabulous place to come. You meet so many lovely people, and from all walks of life. It’s somewhere to come and socialise. We all love it.”

Oswestry Town Council said it will be working with a lead partner to "support the running of the building and minimise the financial impact on the council taxpayer".

It has set aside £50,000 in the first year to cover initial running costs and £250,000 to cover the cost of putting right the building defects including the roof.