Agenda item

Lorna Hughes informed meeting that Committee will receive a range of experiences of community centre managers, noting that Islington has a mixed economy of community centres in the borough ,3 of which are directly managed by the Council  and some run by voluntary organisations and volunteer committees.

Committee received evidence from, Elaine Maffret of Hilldrop Community Centre, Colin Adams of Brickworks, Doris Hester of Goodinge Community Centre and Dirk Lampe of Vibast Community Centre.

Elaine Maffret of Hilldrop Community Centre informed Committee of the workings and best practices.

·       In the last five years, turnover has doubled from about 117,000 to 213,000 and that's through the pandemic.

·       50% of the centre’s income comes from funding, half of which is used for  After School Club and holiday play schemes.

·       It cost about £100,000 a year to run the centre half of which used to come from funding although presently down to about 32%, and the rest is from fees received from parents, which is subsidized.

·       The Centre employs 12 people on the equivalent of five full time posts, 6 of which work in the play projects, the other six in the core centre administrative centre including the manager, a cleaner and a cook for Thursday lunch club.

·       The Centre’s turnover goes on staff salaries, with very little left over for activities. Centre does receive grant from the Voluntary and Community sector and community Partnerships team. The other 50% is self-generated through hall hires charges.

·       The Centre is reliant on volunteers for most of the activities, one volunteer cooks for the Tuesday food hub and others supports residents with issues around the cost of living, isolation, elderly people on their local estates.

·       Elaine was of the view that the remaining 45 community centres should not be referred to as community centres but community spaces as some of them are just an empty room on the estate, noting that a community centre caters and delivers for the whole community of all ages a wide variety of services, activities and support.

·       With regards to the state of the building, the Manager reminded members that in the last five years £350,000 was spent in investment, received via community infrastructure levies, to improve things around the centre, reminding members that was originally a pub and only recently had its original doors replaced with fire doors.

·       Approximately over 500 people in a week come through the Centre for the different services and organisations such as the Bengali women's group, the Alcoholics Anonymous, the Ukulele group etc use the building regularly.

·       It was noted that Hilldrop community centre was once a Council Community Centre, that until 2016 most were being managed by the voluntary and community sector, noting that Islington has got a strong voluntary and community sector when you looking at models of good practice.

·       Islington works with a unique body in London called the Octopus community network who don’t manage centres but operate as a support network for VCS, noting that without their services and activities Hilldrop would not have survived the pandemic.

·       Hilldrop is a strategic neighbourhood hub, has good relationship with the community partnerships team, also works with Council departments such as electoral services during elections for polling stations, registered as emergency centres on estates. Officers from Children Services and Health Services do hold events in the centres.

·       Hilldrop has a website that highlights all the services it offers.

Colin Adams who has managed Brickworks since 2010 raised the following issues.

·       Meeting was advised that through its collaborative and partnership working £2.5 million has been brought into the borough of the last few years.

·       Brickworks has been in existence for nearly 20 years and recently relocated to new building six years ago as part of the housing project.

·       The centre is open seven days a week from 8am-9pm and sometimes beyond normal times depending on bookings.

·       The centre has 3 tenants, a community nursery which works with parent of low income, employment agency to assist in addressing poverty cycle. There is an employment agency that's pan London which employs about 150 local people.

·       50% of the Centre’s income is generated through rent and higher charges and presently has 4 reception staff, three working in after school club, two members working at play groups, onestaff working two days a week, a working cleaner, a manager and full-time administrator.

·       Without the 10 volunteers, the centre would struggle to exist as we have some that support food banks.

·       Volunteers are appreciated not only for identifying a community need but support it by taking the lead for example providing knitting and special isolation classes. The centre offers tranquil workshops for elderly residents who don't go out.

·       Brickworks started in 1972, when 10 residents took it over within the estate as an arm to school club.

·       In 2011 there was an overspend of between £47,000 and £69,000, however recovery started in 2012 with profit by 2014. Brickwork moved into the new building in 2018 and with the pandemic things changed with expenditure rising once again.

·       With regards the state of the building, meeting was advised that centre is enjoyed by users however the inability to control heating and lighting for a long time especially in light of the challenging high utility bills, noting that it is now being addressed.

·       The centre is well utilised by the Brownie Girls guides, council events such as recycling, cost of living, corporate away days, used as polling centres, registered as emergency centres and also community safety events which are attended by the Police especially as there is a significant increase in anti-social behaviour. The centre hosts citizen advice bureau who provide advice to residents on a range of issues.

Dirk Lampe, Manager of Vibast Community Centre highlighted the following issues:

·       Vibast Community Centre has a fairly new building in Bunhill ward, is a successor building to the Redbrick Community Centre in 2019 as part of the council’s new building programme. The Centre has a fairly big hall for large gatherings or events, 2 small meeting room  for a 1-1 meeting.

·       During the pandemic in 2019, the building was shut down and handed over to the NHS as a Covid centre and handed back for it to resume its activities in late 2022.

·       The aim of the centre is to provide vibrant programmes that serve the local people. It presently has 2 full time staff and open 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. It is occasionally opened late evenings and weekend when necessary.

·       Vibast is not reliant on VCS for funding like other community centres in the borough and with the aid of 5 volunteers it is able to undertake a number of activities.

·       Vibast does run some events directly but mostly have other providers who come in and use the space for their activities who pay some fees.

·       It was noted that over half of the providers who use the centre pay nothing as they have no funding and run activities for free for the community.

·       Meeting was informed that the centre is at about 83% capacity with all the spaces fully taken up.

·       From April to October 2024, the Centre has had over 1100 separate bookings, 30-40 regular hires and over 1000 people come through the door.

·       Vibast forms partnership or form links with groups that provide activities that are beneficial and useful to the community and bring their own funding. Hirers welcome the flexible use of the space.

·       The Centre generates its income from hire fees which is put towards its running costs and other activities like Zumba classes

Doris Hestor of Goodinge Community Centre highlighted a few points:

·       The Centre commenced in a dilapidated building with an average of 800 people per month coming through the door to use their services. Centre was given a new building.

·       Covid had a huge impact as the centre lost a number of volunteers during the pandemic and has now built it up self up.

·       Meeting was informed that no funding is received that volunteering is key to its success in the community. The Centre has a lunch club on Monday supported by Goodinge with users paying a little amount to cover their lunches.

·       In recent years, the centre’s 2 relatively small halls are utilised to its full capacity with over 200-300 people in attendance every week.

·       The Community has only £26,000 and spend £14,000.

·       Members of the public are able to use the Centre’s computers to access Council services and also use facilities such as the photocopier and bathroom showers.

·       In response to how the centres measure their performance, meeting was advised besides receiving regular feedback from users of the centre, centre as part of their funding criteria have to submit 6 monthly report and also services are evaluated by the providers.

·       Meeting was advised that most of the services/activities held in community centres are evidence based.

·       On what other services which community centres would like to undertake, meeting was informed of a greater need for dementia groups, out of school clubs not for working mothers but mothers who are not working and for community centres to be treated like tenants when reporting repairs.

·       In response to a question on siting of community centres in Islington, meeting was advised that they are sited within the range of council estates for example, Hilldrop Community centre is within the Tufnell Park area, one of the densely populated 8 housing estates, while Brickwork covers Tollington ward.

·       In terms of democracy, some of the community centres have ward councillors as co-optee’s.

·       A suggestion for the involvement of ward councillors when the Committee undertakes its fact finding exercise visiting community centre was noted especially as they are in a better place to appreciate their community assets.

·       Meeting was advised that there is co working relationship between community centres, that cleaning contracts are shared, meetings are held regularly, joint bids for National Lottery funds to address health inequalities led to £750,000 etc.

·       Meeting was informed that during Covid, the community centres were able to support a network of food bank because it had a network in place of volunteers

·       Also there is a weekly newsletter where information, good practices is shared and training is offered for those interested in community organising where they volunteers acquire skills that will hold them in good stead.

·       The centres have good partnership with Council officers in particular public health which serves to bring in skills and huge benefit to the community it serves.

·       In response to a question on what area that community centres will require support, it was stated that in the area of training volunteers as centres cannot afford to individually train volunteers.

The Chair thanked all in attendees, welcoming their input, stating that members will be undertaking a number of visits to some of the community centres, an opportunity for members to speak to the users and residents.