West Lothian meeting to be held on Monday to discuss the future of Bathgate Community Centre

The meeting follows widespread upset in communities across the county since the plans to transfer community centres out of council ownership were first revealed in June. The online meeting will take place on Monday night at 7pm.

West Lothian Council is reviewing the management of all 31 community centres and village halls in the county in a bid to save £1m.

All community centres have been given three options: 1. Take ownership through Community Asset Transfer; 2. Take a full repairing and insuring lease; 3. Accept all charges being billed from the council.

Bathgate Community Centre is based within the Jim Walker Partnership Centre (Bathgate Partnership Centre) in South Bridge Street. | Google Maps

Bathgate Community Centre is based within the Jim Walker Partnership Centre (Bathgate Partnership Centre) in South Bridge Street, with use of the community centre space managed by the Bathgate Community Centre Management Committee.

A notice of the meeting published this week said: “We as the management committee understand that we manage this centre on behalf of the community and the centre’s user groups.

“As such we have made arrangements to inform the community of the dilemma the council has placed us in and seek your views about it and explain what we propose to say to the council on your behalf and seek your support.

“To do this we are holding a public online meeting on the December 2 where we will explain what the option in the council’s proposal is for Bathgate Partnership the amount of money they want and why we are opposed to it.

“We will also outline what we propose to say to the council and the alternative suggestion we will make to them on running Community Centres in the future. This is your invitation to join us on the night.”

A spokesman for West Lothian Council stressed that a January 10 deadline was not when final decisions would be made but simply a date when management committees should let the council know what option they favoured.

Ralph Bell, the council’s customer and community service manager explained: “Our key objective is to work with management committees to ensure that facilities remain open. That is the outcome we all want to achieve.

“That’s why we are looking at options that would allow the centres to not just survive but to flourish, led and supported by the management committees.

“I think it’s important to repeat what we’ve said previously. By January 10, we only need each committee to indicate to us what alternative option they would like to progress with.

“Different committees will choose the model that is right for them and there’s a lot for them to consider. However, once they choose a way forward, we will be able to work directly with committees on a tailored plan that will allow them to progress with their chosen alternative model.

“Our advice to management committees is to get in touch and speak to us about the way forward and the support we can provide.”

If you wish to join the meeting on Monday evening, contact the Bathgate Community Centre Management Committee by email at: [email protected].

Council officers are happy to meet with management committee staff either as one group or on an individual basis. Visit: https://www.westlothian.gov.uk/communitycentres