5 Glasgow community centres to remain open after Glasgow City Council reverse plans

The administration had planned to make a saving of £469,000 through community venue closures or transfers which would impact Geoff Shaw, Pollokshields, Cranhill, and St Francis Community Centres and Couper Institute Hall.

But a deal with the Greens, announced late in the budget meeting by city treasurer Ricky Bell, SNP, removed these plans.

During the meeting Labour had pushed to save the community centres – particularly the Couper Institute which only reopened to the public 18 months ago after Covid.

Ward councillor Catherine Vallis said: “This is a venue that has only just been saved by a hard fought community campaign where people gathered outside the institute to say reopen this building.

“I think the unsaid part was keep it open. Don’t just reopen it for a year and a half to two years. We have had the imagination to think about how to increase the usage of these venues.”

Presenting the SNP budget plans, Cllr Bell said: “The closure of community facilities  in the city has also been withdrawn.”

Following the meeting councillor Vallis posted on X formally Twitter: “Glad that this was removed from the SNP Budget after pressure. I will always fight for the Couper.”

Earlier Cllr Vallis has pressed for an online booking system for community centres to be included in the budget, saying it would encourage more people to use them.

She said: “On these Labour benches we want to protect our community venues and also increase their usage which is why we are proposing the implementation of an online booking system for community venues. 

“We want this system to make it easier for people to see when venues are free, how much it is going to cost and allow them to book it at any time. 

“People don’t live 9-5. They want to book their community venues at 11pm, online, when they are desperately trying to organise things. They don’t want to have to ring on their lunch break at work.”