‘Left to rot’ Milton Keynes community centre’s ‘much needed refurbishment’ delayed by covid says council
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Galley Hill Residents Association and Stony Stratford Town Council spotted that money for the much needed refurb of the Galley Hill Community Centre and Arts Centre seemed to have been left out of the council’s 2021-22 budget.
Residents complained during a consultation that the community centre, which consists of the Small Meeting Place and former Arts Centre, has been “left to rot” for three years, since Milton Keynes Council closed the arts centre in February 2018.
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Hide AdGalley Hill Residents’ Association spokesman Paul Randall said: “The building has been left to fall into a terrible state of disrepair.
“It has deteriorated into a terrible condition, and as an empty building does nowadays, has attracted repeated vandalism including several break-ins.”
Stony Stratford town councillor Roy Adams added: “Nothing has happened in the last three years other than the estimated costs rising as the building deteriorates”
Cllr Adams said residents could see other areas in the city having new or refurbished community centres but in Galley Hill it had been a case of “all talk and no action.”
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Hide AdStony Stratford town council told the borough that it would “like to be able to reassure residents that this property will be refurbished to bring it back into much needed community use and would appreciate a time-scale for these works.”
A spokesman for Milton Keynes Council said that the work had not been forgotten but staff have had to do other things during the pandemic.
He said: “The council has provided a commitment to repair the building and bring it back into proper community use.
“Unfortunately, due to the covid-19 pandemic, the work and costs are moving more slowly as we have had to concentrate facility and asset team time on projects to ensure vital services are maintained.”
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Hide AdThe spokesman added that: “We can reassure residents that funding allocated this year to the budget for Galley Hill Community Centre will be rolled over into next year.
“Once the full capital works requirement is known then we will be able to allocate appropriate further funding if required.”