At the latest Hanwell Area committee on 6th June local residents were stunned when police announced the imminent demolition of much loved Hanwell Community Centre. The historic building has been central to Hanwell’s identity and social fabric for many generations but it emerged that the Conservative Council is unlikely to renew its lease, making its future untenable. Although several organisations have shown an interest in locating there, including the local police force, the short time-span left on the lease is making it unviable for them to do so and it is a great pity that the Hobbayne Safer Neighbourhood Team will now have to move to a location outside the ward instead.
Tory councillors refused to debate the centre’s future in public with concerned residents and quickly moved onto the next item on the agenda, confirming suspicions that they intend to decide the matter behind closed doors.
A Cuckoo Estate resident complained that groups interested in renting space in the community centre are being discouraged by the lack of commitment the Tories are showing to its future. “The uncertainty is condemning an important community resource to a downward spiral towards demolition” he said. This has heightened fears that a long awaited report into the centre’s future feasibility, which was jointly commissioned and financed by the previous Labour Council and Hanwell Community Centre management committee, has been hijacked by the new Tory administration to recommend closure.
Residents feel that Hanwell is paying the price for the Tories investments elsewhere in the borough. Tory stronghold, central Ealing, always benefits disproportionately and they are promising a 2 million pound makeover for Tory leader, Cllr Stacey’s own area in Greenford which already benefits from its own community centre, library and police station, which residents fear may now be under threat in Hanwell. This level of expenditure would have secured Hanwell Community Centre’s future for generations to come and the loss of it will be a big blow for our community.
The massive rise in allowances the Conservative leader, deputy leader and mayor awarded themselves a few weeks after winning the council last May appear to be being financed by selling off valuable community assets and cutting services to vulnerable mentally ill residents.
We would like to represent your views. Please let us know how you feel about the demolition of Hanwell Community Centre by e-mailing info@hanwell-labour.com.
Please sign our on-line petition click here
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