Your views sought on future use of civic halls

Public consultation starts today (Thursday 21 Jan) on the future use of Bury’s three civic halls.

Bury Council currently operates the Elizabethan Suite in Bury, Longfield Suite in Prestwich and Ramsbottom Civic Hall. All three centres operate at a significant loss and are also in need of major financial investment. They have also been closed for regular bookings since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

The council’s cabinet in November agreed a budget report which included the possible closure of all three venues to generate savings of around £250,000 a year and avoid future costs.

However, no decision has yet been made and residents are now being urged to take part in an eight-week consultation survey and put forward their views.

People will be asked how often they use the civic halls and for what activity - and why they don’t use them – and what their ideas are on alternative uses of the halls.

Councillor David Jones, cabinet member for communities and emergency planning, said: “Our civic halls are well established in town centres across the borough, but they are losing a significant amount of money every year and will also require huge sums to maintain and improve them. This is money which the council simply doesn’t have, after a decade of austerity and the financial challenges now facing us as we try to recover from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

“It is important to acknowledge that, even if the council can no longer afford to operate this service, alternative uses may come forward from local businesses or the community. The Elizabethan Suite and Ramsbottom Civic Hall are both currently being used as Covid vaccination centres, for example.

“Equally, through our regeneration plans for each area, new opportunities may arise that can use these spaces in different ways.

“Let me be clear – no decisions have been made yet, which is why we want the public to take part on the consultation and give us their views on the best way forward for these venues.”

The consultation runs until 17 March and the survey is on the One Community website at https://www.onecommunitybury.co.uk/burycouncil-civicvenuesfeedback

ENDS

Press release issued: 21 January 2021.