Does Central Brixton need a Community Centre?

[Anna Key]

what then are the main factors and barriers to getting it up and running?

Political support

The building was earmarked for phase II of the Tube development but no one seems to know, or is telling, if/when this will occur. I believe it was compulsory purchased so is already owned by the local state. But I've checked the Lambeth Property List and can't find it there. But Lambeth notoriously don't know what they own. [Sends up smoke signal for lang rabbie Lambeth website assistance. ]

The word I've had - nothing in writing - is that the LibDems/Conservatives have just left it to rot because Tube phase II was a Labour scheme. But my source is close to Labour so may be talking partisan rubbish.

Delivery Structure

To secure the funding and run the scheme you need a delivery mechanism, e.g. a registered Charity with at least some of the 'great and the good' on the Board of Trustees e.g. a local politician, a local lawyer, a local business person - the rest (the voting majority) can and should be local residents.

The Charity must have

(a) a good credit rating or banks won't lend. This is supplied by simply opening a bank account and keeping a zero or credit balance for a few months; and

(b) a management structure - board of Trustees - which banks (and grant-making bodies, e.g. the National Lottery) consider stable and experienced. They won't lend to a bunch of doped-up hippies. This is where the 'great and the good' are important. You send them off to talk to the bank.

Local support

The motor which drives everything else. You need bums on seats. I'm pretty sure we've got them

- about 6 people willing to serve as elected Trustees. Four seats, say, would go to the 'great and the good' giving ten trustees all together.

- everyone else prepared to pay their £1 and join the Charity as voting Members.

Hard Work

Someone would have to do the ball-breaking stuff - setting up the Charity website, getting the headed notepaper printed, calling meetings, writing minutes, licking stamps - all that (necessary) crap.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Oh look, this would be ideal

 

[Anna Key]

Careful tho, I think there's already plans for flats above (HA probably) and a shop below. Permission to demolish the gig room already granted AFAIK. Get going on this or it will be gone.

So it may already be owned by a HA?

<Calls pathetically to lang rabbie: can you find the planning papers on the Lambeth website? I've searched and can find sweet FA.>

 

[pooka]

(a) a good credit rating or banks won't lend. This is supplied by simply opening a bank account and keeping a zero or credit balance for a few months; and

It's very unusual for charities (even ones with reasonably secure income streams) to be loaned money by the banks, except outfits like Triodos or Unity - but they would still need to see how the money was going to be paid back.

I'd say you need to think through a structure that has:

A good chance of start up funding from the Lottery, regeneration budgets etc
Ongoing core costs funding from SRB, Community Chest, Community Empowerment, whatever,
Ongoing 'services' funding from grants,
Ongoing income from charges and fees - no reason why people can't pay affordable rates for things that would cost a lot more elsewhere (like room hire, training courses etc).

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

So it may already be owned by a HA?

<Calls pathetically to lang rabbie: can you find the planning papers on the Lambeth website? I've searched and can find sweet FA.>

He's busy doing some research for me. Get to the back of the queue

 

[IntoStella]

Oh look, this would be ideal

Does anyone know anything about that place? It's in a pretty bad state of repair. There's no point in going for somewhere that is falling down (like Raleigh hall).

 

[IntoStella]

He's busy doing some research for me. Get to the back of the queue

And giving up his lunch hour to boot.

 

[twistedAM]

I forgive you.

And is it Bradys or Brady's?

The Railway

afaik it only became Bradys in the 90s..when I started going there a lot of people still referred to it as the Railway

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

And giving up his lunch hour to boot.

He's a very nice man, a very very nice man

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

The Railway

afaik it only became Bradys in the 90s..when I started going there a lot of people still referred to it as the Railway

Yep, we've had this discussion before. Bradys was the Russell Hotel

 

[Anna Key]

It's very unusual for charities (even ones with reasonably secure income streams) to be loaned money by the banks

Not if you own a freehold or long lease. You just use it as collateral and the bank takes a charge. If you fail to keep to the repayment schedule the bank re-possesses and throws you out on your ear.

But you're right in the sense that loans may not be needed. There's tons of grant money sloshing about, especially for a central Brixton community project run by a bona fide registered charity.

Why borrow when you simply need to ask, in the right way, and be given?

 

[pooka]

Not if you own a freehold or long lease. You just use it as collateral and the bank takes a charge. If you fail to keep to the repayment schedule the bank re-possesses and thows you out on your ear.

Eeeeek! Very rare that Trustees would put an essestial asset at risk like that - they could be considered to be failing in their duty under charity law and (in the nasty twists these things can take) end up being held to account for it by the members.

I'd have thought you'd be struggling to get freehold or a long lease at the outset anyways - as an organisation with no track record - maybe shortlease or peppercorn rent from a public body.

You're right - far better to go for grants and earned income.

 

[IntoStella]

The Railway

afaik it only became Bradys in the 90s..when I started going there a lot of people still referred to it as the Railway

Please let's not have that argument again!!!

Minx: a very very very nice man.

 

[lang rabbie]

What's your point? The venue would be for everyone. No one would be excluded. The Charity running it would be a membership organisation which anyone sharing the Objects could join. Anyone could stand for election as a Trustee.

Actually it is a very good point. Many other "community centres" have foundered because of tensions between user groups as to whether they exist primarily for the benefit of a narrowly defined geographical neighbourhood or a wider community.

And in getting council buy-in/funding for transfer to such a group, there is a real question over whether the central Brixton community that you identify is one of the most deprived/most in need of such a resource - as distinct from some of the other clusters of social housing within Coldharbour Ward looking for improved facilities from the Neighbourhood Renewal pot of money.

It is more likely to succeed if you can show that is a facility serving these groups as well.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Please let's not have that argument again!!!

Minx: a very very very nice man.

You know something that I don't

Is he a ladyboy or something?

 

[twistedAM]

Please let's not have that argument again!!!

Minx: a very very very nice man.

oh dear...i never saw that argument..apologies for bringing back what look like nasty memories

 

[IntoStella]

Here you go, twisted. Old threads never die round here (unless they get deleted by accident or are especially pointless) and the discussions always come up again, sure as eggs is eggs.

 

[Brixton Hatter]

Anna Key - excellent ideas.

I wonder if it's worth getting the Brixton Area Forum onto this? They have a Community Working Group which might be able to help - alternatively, it comes under the Coldharbour and Angell Town Working Group. You can call the Brixton Town Centre Office (who administer the BAF) for info on 020 7926 1077.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Here you go, twisted. Old threads never die round here (unless they get deleted by accident or are especially pointless) and the discussions always come up again, sure as eggs is eggs.

Dozy twat He even posted on the thread

 

[reubeness]

Ises,
A community centre in central Brixton is an excellent idea.
How would you ensure though that it was fully inclusive?
On the funding issue - much of the funding around at the moment is earmarked for community who are 'at risk of offending'.
What has happened with other bids in Lambeth is that the 'community' most likely to achieve a successful bid is lured in with promises and offers of committed support - the end result though often excludes them.
Blessed Love

 

[han]

I think its a great idea Anna.
As you know, we've chatted about this, and I'd love to lend my support in any way.
What do people think about a community media/IT resource centre? Some mates of mine in Brum are setting one up, using recycled computers and open source software, see here www.a2rt.org using Redundant Technology Initiative in Sheffield as their initial model www.lowtech.org

Me too, I'd be up for helping with this! Loads of non-profits are introducing Linux into their infrastructures, and some even run on it entirely (eg. Seeds for Change http://seedsforchange.org.uk/res/linux.html). All that's needed are old P1 PC's - and they don't even need hard disks! Could be done on a shoestring....

But enough of the geek stuff.....a community centre would be fab - a place where local bands could perform, music nights, cheap yoga classes, kids' space, CHEAP cafe etc is just what Brixton needs. It's crazy that a place with this number of people doesn't have such a thing. I mean - EAST Oxford of all places has its' own thriving community centre with gigs/events on daily, and the East Oxford area is only about 1 square mile !

 

[editor]

And is it Bradys or Brady's?

I prefer Railway Hotel.

 

[Mr Retro]

.
How would you ensure though that it was fully inclusive?

That will be a difficulty

Here is probably a very simplistic suggestion:

I suppose you keep the activities and entertainment as diverse as possible - like Eme said. This would get as many groups as possible using the space. When loads of different backgrounds are using the same building for different things, then people meet and mix ... hopefully.

 

[editor]

Incidentally, I noticed what appears to be the remains of another hall to the back of the Railway Hotel (this view was taken from Brixton BR station with the bridge that abouts the pub is to the right, if you follow)

I think the space is used by market stalls, but it would be nice to have it utilised as part of a rejuvenated Brady's Arts/Community Centre....

 

[twistedAM]

Dozy twat He even posted on the thread

christ do you expect me to remeber everything posted on here?
you should get out more

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

christ do you expect me to remeber everything posted on here?
you should get out more

Course not. Just looked at the thread Intostella posted up

 

[Streathamite]

It is a truly great idea. especially if run as a RESOURCE centre-so that it can empower the most vulnerable and excluded people in Brixton. It could also be a rallying point for political activists

 

[Anna Key]

Many other "community centres" have foundered because of tensions between user groups as to whether they exist primarily for the benefit of a narrowly defined geographical neighbourhood or a wider community.

And in getting council buy-in/funding for transfer to such a group, there is a real question over whether the central Brixton community that you identify is one of the most deprived/most in need of such a resource - as distinct from some of the other clusters of social housing within Coldharbour Ward looking for improved facilities from the Neighbourhood Renewal pot of money.

It is more likely to succeed if you can show that is a facility serving these groups as well.

That's easy to address: you set your Charitable Objects to exclude those dangers and involve residents from those clusters:

(a) as Members of the Charity;

(b) as Trustees of the Charity;

(c) as Directors and Members of subsidiary incorporated bodies established by the Charity to deliver particular projects; and

(d) as recipients of benefits from the charity, especially in the field of - horrible fashionable phrase - “community capacity building.” It’s now legal to include community capacity building as a charitable object.

BTW did any Gladstonian posters see this? Even Gordon Brown approves of this thread.

 

[Anna Key]

How would you ensure though that it was fully inclusive?

Via the careful enforcement of carefully drafted, debated and widely agreed registered charitable Objects (which, if they don't work, you change until they do).

 

[lang rabbie]

Is there more than one Gladstonian poster?

Most disappointed that noone recognised me at the April Offline just on the strength of my "Remember that the sanctity of life in the hill villages of Afghanistan, among the winter snows, is as inviolable in the eye of Almighty God as can be your own" T-shirt complete with portrait of my hero!