FOUR hall committees have approached Sedgemoor District Council (SDC) for further assistance to keep them open for their communities to use.

The council is considering investing £775,000 into these facilities as a positive commitment to their futures.

Community and village halls are a cornerstone of communities and are an important part of neighbourhood life and are mostly run by hard-working volunteer committees.

The Covid pandemic has shown that halls have been able to act as venues for food banks, vaccination centres and extend activities to vulnerable people.

In more normal times, they provide a range of activities and access to community activities that are locally accessible and affordable and can also combat loneliness and isolation.

Over many years, SDC has supported the provision of local facilities, by its own grant systems and by applying for external funding such as the Single Regeneration Budget or Building Communities fund.

Victoria Park Community Centre in Bridgwater is a multi-use community hub. There is a 125-year lease from Sedgemoor.

The hall committee has asked that SDC transfers the ownership of the site to them, with a £20,000 grant for transitional costs such as drawing up legal documents.

Wembdon Village Hall has an outstanding loan from SDC of £355,000.
The hall and its facilities are very well used by all members of the community including the use of the Green by Cricket Clubs including for county matches and training.

It also has made up for a deficit of nursery provision and funds have been raised to provide a youth hub on the upper floor which can also serve as a local conference centre.

The hall serves a wide area, drawing attendees from all over the district as well as providing a range of volunteer opportunities.

The committee has also secured funding from the England and Wales Cricket Board and the Football Foundation because the hall and grounds make up for a deficit in cricket and football provision.
The hall committee is asking for the loan to be converted to a grant.

Watchfield Village Hall in the parish of Burnham Without. The hall has been used continually from 1933 to the present day. It is the only public building in the Parish of Burnham Without.

It was constructed of wood, on land in the centre of the village. It has been agreed that the existing hall should be demolished and a new one built on its footprint.
Burnham Without Parish Council has offered £50,000 and Sedgemoor is asked to match that amount (£50,000).

The Wilstock Community Hub project was established to address a deficit of community facilities within Wilstock and Stockmoor Villages.

Full planning permission exists for the proposed facility and builds feasibility exists costing the project at £1.3 million.

So far, £510K funding has been secured through Hinkley Mitigation Fund (£300K) and North Petherton Town Council (£210K).

There remains however a shortfall of £790K for the project. Officers have discussed with Wilstockhub the potential for a phased approach that would see the delivery of the community facility in two phases.

£350,000 would allow the first phase to start which would allow for the building of a Multi-Use Games Area.

The recommendations from the Executive Advisory Meeting today (February 9) will go to the leader of the council to recommend onwards to the full council, which will be held on February 24, where the final decisions will be made.