Council agrees to transfer ‘vital’ Black Country community center to charity in £1-a-year deal

Councilors have approved plans to let the Hurst Road Community Center in Oldbury 4 Community Trust for 99 years, with the rent set at just £1 a year.

The charity, which provides childcare and community support, said it would make “significant investment” in the building – including new windows and roof repairs – as well as building a children’s play area.

The trust will provide children with mental health sessions and after-school and holiday clubs.

The move comes after another charity agreed to move into the community center last year but the deal fell through.

The 4 Community Trust has until the end of the month to submit its plans to Sandwell Council – or the building will be put up for sale.

Councilor Elen Fenton said the Hurst Road Community Center was a “priority” in the Bristnall ward she represented.

At the cabinet meeting on July 17, she said: “It is one of the very limited community spaces that are available and as such is 100% utilised.

“There was a lot of hope when (Sandwell Asian Family Support Service) took over the building, but as you know, there are a lot of difficulties that come with a building like this.”

Councilor Fenton said the center was well placed for communities in several council wards, including Abbey, Bristnall, Smethwick, Old Warley and Langley, and asked what support would be available if the building was put on the open market rather than transferred a community group or charity.

Councilor Peter Hughes said the council would “certainly” meet with groups to “discuss their needs and support the transition” if the building were to be put up for sale – but the council would always seek the “best possible use of the community”.

He told the cabinet meeting: “We would do our best to try to find alternative methods of providing these services or providing an alternative venue.”

Councilor Hughes said the council would have to get “best value” for the building if community groups were not interested in a takeover – as the council could no longer afford to maintain it.

The council ended its aid to the community center in 2022 by cutting its £25,000-a-year volunteer grant to help with running costs. The annual cost to the council is currently £4,755.

The assessed value of the building is £500,000, with the market rent currently £5,600 per annum, according to a cabinet report. The council said it would have to spend at least £245,000 on the building over the next 30 years. The building was described as being in “healthy” condition two years ago, but would still need expensive upgrades to windows and heating.

The cabinet report said: “They have already been proactive in assessing the building and have proposed a five-year building improvement plan for the centre.”

Sandwell Council said Hurst Road is one of three community centers which would benefit from “new management arrangements”.

The building was advertised to potential community groups with a caveat that the organizations would be responsible for maintenance and repairs and that no council money would be available.