Agenda item

This report provides initial findings from the community consultation exercise undertaken in respect of Victoria Hall, Radstock and considers opportunities and possible options to take forward for the future use of the building.

Sue Hill in a statement [a copy of which is attached to the Minutes as Appendix 4] asked Cabinet to bring Victoria Hall back into use so that her company could offer weekend dance classes, as they had once been able to do in the Hall.

Councillor Eleanor Jackson in a statement [a copy of which is attached to the Minutes as Appendix 5] emphasised the impressive exterior of Victoria Hall despite its internal dilapidation.  She appealed to Cabinet to recognise it as a heritage asset and as a jewel in the crown of the town.  She was not sure that the report fully reflected this.

Amanda Leon (Radstock Action Group) in a statement [a copy of which is attached to the Minutes as Appendix 6] urged the Cabinet to ensure that Victoria Hall would become a building fit for future use so that the community could take pride in a building which it helps to develop and run.

Bruce Shearn in a statement reminded the Cabinet of the Victoria Hall’s historical problems with disability access.  He felt that the funds being proposed to be spent on the Hall would be better spent on improving another facility.

Colin Currie in a statement [a copy of which is attached to the Minutes as Appendix 7] said that it was ironic that the Cabinet were meeting in a venue so near to the Victoria Hall, which if it were suitably renovated, would have served so much better as a venue.  He felt that the Hall should be seen as a valuable asset and that the cost of refurbishment would be an excellent investment in the community.

Oliver Bevan read a statement on behalf of Rupert Bevan (Chair, Friends of Radstock Victoria Hall) [a copy of which is attached to the Minutes as Appendix 8] which explained the history behind Victoria Hall and the determination of the townspeople to save it.  He believed the Hall could be self-financing, but would need a capital investment to save it.

Heather Chipperfield (Radstock Action Group) in a statement reminded Cabinet that the Victoria Hall had in the past provided very good facilities for young people to play snooker without the availability of alcohol, and had been used for so many other activities.  She acknowledged that disability access was a problem but said that with the right investment all its problems could be overcome and it could again become a great asset for the community who held it very dear.

Terry Weakes in an ad hoc statement said that, just as Churchill had wanted to save St Paul’s Cathedral because of its significance to the community, so the same must be said for Victoria Hall.  He reminded the Cabinet that the Hall had been built with miners’ hard-earned wages, and now must be saved by the Council as a community facility into the future.

Irene Burchill, a resident of Radstock,said in an ad hoc statement that the people of Radstock had been trying to save the Hall since it was threatened with closure in 2005.  Their business plan, including a disabled lift, had been submitted to the council in 2007 and nothing more had happened.  She wanted to see that Hall back in use, for antique fairs, snooker, youth café etc, but said that action was required now.

Councillor David Bellotti in proposing the item, said that it was his intention that Victoria Hall would be saved.  He reminded the meeting that the administration had only come into power one year earlier, and had been shocked at the state of the building.  He was proposing spending £250K to renovate the building including a lift.  He thanked the 300+ people whose views were made very clear in the consultation responses in Appendix 3 to the report.

Councillor Bellotti reminded Cabinet that the Hall had been closed during the consultation period.  This was not done to pre-empt the consultation but for safety reasons – not least the dangerous electrics.  He explained some of the options being explored to bring it back into use as a working facility, run with the help of the people of Radstock.  He was not proposing to ask the people of Radstock to pay for the refurbishment.

Councillor Bellotti went on to remind Cabinet of the context of the proposals.  There were other facilities nearby – although the library might move into Victoria Hall to make it viable.  Certain other community facilities would not be affected by the refurbishment of Victoria Hall.  He was concerned however to secure the Hall for the future by ensuring its usage and thus its income.  He intended to bring a further report back to Cabinet in September with more detailed proposals.

Councillor Simon Allen seconded the proposal and said the plan must be for a building which people want to use.  He agreed with other speakers that the Victoria Hall was a symbol of Radstock community.

Councillor David Dixon said that he remembered a Scrutiny meeting asking for significant provision in the Council’s 2005 budget, but it had taken 8 years for this to come forward.  He was honoured to be part of the Cabinet which he hoped would confirm the investment to save the Hall.

On a motion from Councillor David Bellotti, seconded by Councillor Simon Allen, it was

RESOLVED (unanimously)

(1) To NOTE the initial outcomes of the Consultation Exercise;

(2) To AGREE that because Crèche, Youth Club and Health Facilities are already being provided out of Greystones and the adjoining Children’s/Youth Centre, and are regarded as well located, they are not included in the options to be progressed further;

(3) To ASK the Divisional Director (Property) to undertake more detailed assessments on the feasibility of adapting Victoria Hall to make it suitable for a mixed community, meeting and exhibition space; which would also offer ongoing snooker facilities.  Also to examine the scope for, and benefits of, locating the library in to the building;

(4) To AGREE that as part of this process, consideration will be given to the benefits of retaining the caretaker’s house as part of the facility or investigate the potential for its disposal to deliver wider community benefits; and

(5) To ASK the Divisional Director (Property) to make a further report to Cabinet in September to provide detailed information on the options including ongoing revenue implications.