Resignations spark hall closure fears

Published on 15th March 2007 in News

The future of East Cowick Village Hall looks uncertain following rumours that the two trustees of the hall could be vacating their roles.

It was revealed at this week's meeting of Snaith and Cowick Town Council that the two trustees of East Cowick Village Hall are planning to resign, leaving the hall open to the possibility of closure.

The hall, which is registered as a charity under the East Cowick Amenities and Communities Association, is popular with local residents and host to a number of regular events, but Snaith Town councillors fear that its future could be bleak if a new board of trustees is not found.

Town councillors are now urging the hall's users to rally round and arrange a public meeting to ensure the building's future.

The village hall is governed by the Charity Commission, and a spokesperson told this newspaper this week that the commission was last in contact with the village hall committee in early February this year when it responded to a letter from the village hall committee seeking advice on dissolution of the East Cowick Amenities and Communities Association charity.

The spokesperson said: "The village hall cannot simply close, and we wrote to the East Cowick Amenities and Communities Association telling them what they would need to do to wind the charity up but we have had no reply."

Speaking at Monday's Town Council meeting, Snaith cllr Richard Bridge said: "There is a danger that the village hall could be wound up and sold unless a new board of trustees can take it on. Hopefully the users of East Cowick Village Hall will call a public meeting and get this situation sorted out.

"In the past, the village hall has not been run appropriately but it's a good community facility and is used often, so hopefully somebody will take it upon themselves to resolve this.

"It would just be ridiculous for the village hall to disappear altogether."

Graham Betts, Services Development Officer for Humber and Wolds Rural Community Council (HWRCC), told this newspaper that the council provides a village hall advice service that could be of some use to the charity if rumours that the hall's trustees are resigning are true.

He said: "We have heard nothing from East Cowick Village Hall on this matter, but the committee needs to ask us to come forward and offer advice.

"East Cowick Village Hall is a registered charity and is protected by the Charities Act, so it cannot simply close on the whim of a committee.

Meeting vital to sort out hall's future

"If the rumours over East Cowick Village Hall are true, then a meeting with all committee members and members of the public in the local area needs to be called and local residents are advised to go along and do something about the hall's future.

"The HWRCC can play a fundamentally important role here and we are ready, willing and able to help."

At the time of going to press, both trustees of East Cowick Village Hall were unavailable for comment.