Deadline to find new manager for village community centre

The centre is part of Guilsfield Primary School and has played an integral part of village life for decades.

But, wrangling over decisions made in the past, including questions over land ownership saw the community centre face closure three years ago, before Guilsfield Community Council stepped in to help out.

The building is owned by Powys County Council, and is leased to the community centre trustees.

GCC Vice-chairman Councillor Glynne Turner has in effect, managed the community centre since 2018, keeping it running, paying the bills, and ensuring the building is maintained.

But he is unwilling to carry on the role for much longer, as he wants to do other projects.

Councillor Turner said: “Come the spring, I’ve done it for three years, I no longer want to do it, and I don’t think the community council should be acting in this role any longer than the end of this financial year.”

He said the facilities are in “good shape” but a number of issues such as contracts for insurance, lighting, and fire alarms would need to be addressed for the “long term”.

The problem is that community centre trustees are in limbo - they are waiting for the Charity Commission to provide information on the legal standing of who actually owns land that was bought on behalf of the community centre.

Until that is sorted out, the impasse continues.

Councillor Trevor Trevor who is also a trustee, said: “I’m not going to make any promises as to when this will be resolved.

“We will continue to press the Charity Commission for a response – there is uncertainty over the land ownership it was done in the name of the centre, and it wasn’t entitled to do it, somebody must own it.

“In the meantime the community council is a custodian of the centre. It can be argued that it does have a responsibility to the centre.

“There does need to be ongoing management, and someone will have to do it.”

He explained that the trustees have been told by the Charitable Commission that one of them could not run the centre as it “would be a breach of duty.”

GCC Chairman, Councillor Ian Harrison, said: “If we need to carry on supporting the community centre in the way we have been, we need to come to an agreement on who could replace Cllr Turner from the spring.

“This is a tough issue and there isn’t an obvious solution to it.

“Councillor Turner should be commended for what he’s done over the last three years.”

The community council agreed that talks about the future management of the centre will take place and a proposal will be presented to the next council meeting.