More than £1M in new funding to help re-open Glasgow community centres

The commitment has been made as part of the SNP/Green budget who will prioritise an investment of £1.1 million following a consultation with community organisations to ensure their facilities have a sustainable future.

The administration hopes the move will help groups who have expressed a desire to take over a centre, to do just that.

Labour’s budget proposal had also committed to re-opening 15 community centres across the city which would allow voluntary organisations to provide vital support and activities during these challenging times.

Their policy and strategic policy spokeswoman councillor Jane Morgan said that the SNP proposals would lead to more uncertainty as to what venues might open and when.

But SNP City treasurer Ricky Bell said the council had to do things differently and there were limited resources available.

He said: “We recognise across Glasgow there is a desire to see community centres reopen and accessible to residents sooner rather than later. We are investing £1.1 million to do just that but we have to do things differently.

“To simply make a blanket commitment of a limited resource across every existing facility ignores ongoing work on the new community hubs, the impact of decades of neglect of others and the desired plans of some communities to take control of these facilities.

“Our proposals will seek to prioritise the investment following consultation with communities to ensure facilities have a sustainable future.

“These investments are not only possible because of the improved settlement we received from the Scottish Government, while others shouted from the sidelines, the SNP and Green councillors of this council calmly and respectfully lobbied our respective ministers to help cities like Glasgow.

“This budget says to Glaswegians, this is your city and you should be at the table to help make the decisions on what the local priorities for neighbourhoods should be and to end the years of Labour’s paternalism.”

Labour councillor Archie Graham also said that the reopening of community centres which are so vital to the communities politicians represent was next on their agenda.

He said: “Glasgow Life recovery is absolutely crucial to be able to provide services to the communities of Glasgow. If it wasn’t for the Scottish Government cutting our budget year on year then we might be able to secure a total recovery of Glasgow Life in the next financial year.

“In the meantime it is crucial that these centres get reopened as soon as humanly possible so that all the voluntary organisations that use these facilities try and help the most disadvantaged in our city, so that they can access the services they so desperately need.”