'Village hall funding secure', Teesdale Mercury

'Village hall funding secure'

Feb 12, 2003

MP Derek Foster is confident that future funding for village halls is secure.

Mr Foster told the Mercury he had “two very good meetings” on Friday, at which the matter was discussed, including one where Mr Foster led a delegation from Teesdale Village Halls Consortium to County Hall.

The first meeting was with Learning and Skills Council chairman, Olivia Grant, and chief executive, Austin McNamara.

“They told me the Learning and Skills Council are very happy, willing and ready to meet round the table with anyone to make a contribution to help solve the problem.”

Although the council comes under the control of the Dept of Education, Mr Foster said that both it and Durham County Council could be “a bit more flexible” in the situation.

“We have to sit round the table with other players to solve it, but from what I was told it was enormously encouraging,” said Mr Foster.

At the second meeting, Mr Foster led the village halls consortium to speak to Durham County Council.

He said the county council fully supported village halls, but its position had been made difficult by changes in legislation from central government.

“The county council had already agreed to put in £150,000 throughout the county for those organisations outside the earlier agreement,” he said.

“This provides a bit of a lifeline for village halls in Teesdale which were not covered by the learning element in the earlier agreement,” said Mr Foster. “I think everyone agrees that village halls are vital to village life and community life and their role will become increasingly important as the years roll by.”