By james art Durham County Council has transferred ownership of Great Lumley Community Center to the village’s parish council, allowing it to expand the number of activities on offer to residents.
The decision to transfer the center to the parish council was supported by residents who already attend children’s play and exercise groups at the centre, with the county council providing financial support.
Durham County Council is contributing more than £480,000 of capital and section 106 funding to help cover the cost of refurbishing and maintaining the centre, alongside money from Towns and Villages members’ budgets from Cllr Alan Bell and Cllr Phil Heaviside, who is also Chairman of the Parish Council.
Borough budget funding from Cllrs Bell and Heaviside and former councilor Audrey Willis has also been secured.
Meanwhile, Chester-le-Street Area Action Partnership (AAP), one of the council’s 14 AAPs, has provided an additional grant of almost £20,000 to fund a center manager.
The center also successfully applied for £20,950 of funding from the UK’s Shared Prosperity Fund.
With Great Lumley Parish Council also investing a significant amount of funding, the move will result in a significant improvement to the building and its facilities for the benefit of its users.
The transfer of ownership will also ensure the financial stability of the center for the future as it will allow the parish council to access grant funding that local authorities cannot apply for.
Cllr Mark Wilkes, Durham County Council’s Cabinet Member for Neighborhoods and Climate Change, said: “We are pleased that the transfer of ownership to Great Lumley Parish Council has been successful. This result is thanks to several years of hard work and a brilliant team effort from both sides and is a great result.
“The center is already of great value to residents and we know that with this additional investment it will continue to provide a well-used facility in the village. Offering a wide range of activities and facilities to residents of all ages will not only help improve physical health, but also promote good mental health and wellbeing and help the community to come together, which is a key priority for the council.”
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Cllr Phil Heaviside, chairman of Great Lumley Parish Council, said: “The whole parish council is delighted to receive the keys to the centre. It has taken over ten years to get to this point and we look forward to starting our renovation plans.
“The center means a lot to our community and the refurbishment will allow us to offer a functional gym and dance studio space, as well as a café and meeting rooms for groups.
“This will ensure it is at the heart of village life, offering both activities and employment opportunities for residents.”