Lesmahagow Community Council

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JUBILEE HALL

2010-03-01

Aileen Campbell, SNP MSP for South of Scotland, has offered her support to representatives of users of the Jubilee Hall, Lesmahagow, who have arranged a special meeting to discuss the next steps in the campaign to save the Hall from planned closure.

The meeting, to be held in the Jubilee Hall at 7.30pm on Tuesday 9^th March, will bring together members from different groups who use the hall regularly, as well as staff from the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) and the Lanarkshire Association of Local Voluntary Organisation (ALVO). Aileen has also invited representatives from the Big Lottery Fund to attend, in the hope that they can provide information about funding options for exploring a possible community purchase of the Hall.

Commenting, Aileen Campbell MSP said:

“I’m happy to support this initiative, which has been led by the user groups themselves.

“After all the expressions of public concern, plus the recent debate in the Scottish Parliament, it makes sense to get folk together now and seriously consider what the next steps are for the campaign to save the hall.

“Going down the road of community purchase is not a decision to take lightly, which is why it will be good to have representatives present from organisations such as SCVO and ALVO who can advise on what would need to be done.

“If anyone’s interested in coming along to the meeting, they can contact my office on 08456 026 076 or 0131 348 6573 for more information.

“Of course the Council still has the opportunity to reverse its decision and save the Jubilee Hall. The Council has been pleading poverty of late, but it is prepared to spend over £1million on the Fountain Hall. The Jubilee could be given a lick of paint and kept open for much less.”

2010-01-23

Another petition has been started to save the Jubilee Hall. It is being held in the Resource Centre for all to sign. Let us hope that this one will have more success than the last one which was ignored by SLC.

2010-01-15

The Jubilee hall debate in the scottish parliament is now available to view online. Just click HERE. Or, If you prefer, you can read the transcript HERE. It is most enlightening to see where our "representatives" really stand!

2010-01-14

The Jubilee hall has made it onto the BBC.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/glasgow_and_west/8458798.stm

2010-01-11

The Jubilee hall debate has been confirmed for Thursday 14th at 5pm.

More info can be seen here...

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/businessBulletin/bb-10/bb-01-11b.htm

2010-01-05

Following a motion lodged by Aileen Campbell about the future of the Jubilee Hall, it is likely that this "Member's Business" debate could be held on thursday 14th January at 5pm in the main chamber of the Scottish Parliament. This schedule will be confirmed over the next few days.

2009-10-16
A fun-day has been arranged for Saturday 31st October in the Jubilee Hall in protest at the proposed closure.

2009-09-14

A protest meeting on the Jubilee/Fountain Hall issue is being organised by local amateur dramatics group Class Act. This will take place on the 2nd or 3rd October.

2009-08-05

Following the FOI information release, SLC have failed to comment other than suggesting to Aileen Campbell that they should be allowed to present their side.

2009-06-14
Aileen Campbell MSP has issued a press release based on Freedom of Information (FOI) documentation received from South Lanarkshire Council regarding the Jubilee & Fountain Halls; In this release, she points out a number of concerns;

The decision to purchase the ‘Fountain’ facility was made by the Council in November 2006, two full years before the decision to close the Jubilee Hall in November 2008.
Purchase of the Fountain was recommended to the Council by local Councillor Alex McInnes, but Councillors requested no public announcement on the future of the Jubilee Hall be made at that time.
Over £500,000 was made available from Council reserves for the purchase of the Fountain, despite the papers indicating running costs were likely to be higher than those of the Jubilee Hall.
The Council has made no assessment of the impact of the declining property market on any future sale of the Jubilee Hall, or what the cost of refurbishing and modernising the Hall would be.

Commenting, Aileen Campbell MSP said:

"The information the Council has supplied to me under the Freedom of Information Act seems to raise more questions than it answers."

“The Council found over half a million pound from its reserves to purchase the Fountain from the Auchlochan Trust, and yet decided to close the Jubilee Hall without making a full assessment of the cost of refurbishing or renovating it."

“I’m particularly concerned that back in 2007 the Council was asked by elected members not to publicise the possible closure of the Jubilee Hall, even though it was clearly considered a consequence of purchasing the Fountain."

“My recent survey in the area showed massive local opposition to the closure of the Jubilee Hall, and serious concern about the suitability of the Fountain as a replacement. I will be visiting the Hall this Monday to meet some of the groups who use it on a regular basis."

“I will also continue to work with Lesmahagow Community Council and the relevant local Councillors to make sure the local authority is properly held to account for its actions, and to demand a rethink of the decision to close the Jubilee Hall.”

Read More at AileenCampbell.com

Aileen will visit the Jubilee Hall on Monday 15th June at around 1.30PM

2009-05-06
Initial reports indicate an exceptional response to the survey carried out on behalf of Aileen Campbell MSP. The results will be posted here as soon as they become available.

2009-05-06
A recent Scottish Parliament Report contains a discussion of Community Halls in general & the Jubilee hall in particular.

2009-04-27
A maildrop from Aileen Campbell MSP distributed across Lesmahagow is asking for residents' views on the impending closure of the Jubilee Hall. This is a excellent opportunity to have your say on this issue and LCC would encourage anyone who has recieved this mailing to complete and return it to The Scottish Parliament.

Further information on this issue can be found HERE

2009-04-15
In response to LCC's agument that there is (currently & planned) no viable alternative to the Jubilee Hall in the area, SLC have acknowleged these concerns and replied;

“The Council considers that the facilities that will be offered in the Fountain and the new schools will more than satisfy the need for community accommodation in the area.”

2008-12-10
We’ve now heard officially from SLC that the Jubilee is to close. It is our intention to fight this unless SLC can propose a new building equivalent in size and facilities to the Jubilee. (join the fight)

2008-11-13
We found out by accident – perusing the SLC website and committee meetings and agendas - that SLC decided on November 5 that the hall was to close. They cited that alternative facilities would be available at the High School, the Fountain and the two new primary schools. We are somewhat bitter about this, not only about the decision but also the fact that they have ignored a petition given to them some months ago with over 800 signatures asking that the hall be retained. What is really depressing is that no SLC Community Resource department official or any of our so-called ‘elected representatives’ have had the decency to make contact with us re this decision.

We have known unofficially for two years now that this was the way ‘the cookie was crumbling’ when an elected representative let the cat out of the bag saying the hall would be demolished and rezoned for residential flats. See the item in this week’s Gazette under Lesmahagow.

Upcoming Events

11/3 Male Voice Choir Show 12/3 Male Voice Choir Show 25/3 LCC Meeting 12/4 Aileen Campbell MSP Surgery 29/4 LCC Meeting