Plans to improve process for communities to take on the operation of Calderdale Council buildings and land

It is more “hands on” than it used to be in terms of advising and working with groups in the hope transfers go more smoothly.

Calderdale councillors were reviewing progress on current ten transfers, which are all at different phases.

They heard four of the transfers are rated “green”.

Hebden Bridge Community Association’s at Hebden Bridge Town Hall and Hebden Royd Town Council’s running of Hebden Bridge Picture House are both “well run”, Todmorden Learning Centre and Hub’s Todmorden College also received the “thumbs up” with its next assessment due in November and, with its attaining status as a community amateur sports club and presenting audited accounts, Trustees of Northowram Tennis Club, Halifax, are also highly rated for their running of Northowram Tennis Courts.

Amber rated are the transfers to Luddenden Foot Community Association of Luddenden Foot Civic Centre, and to OSCA Foundation Limited of the Forest Cottage and Four Fields site at Ovenden, Halifax.

Both organisations will be helped to increase “capacity” – the number of people involved in running the projects. Previous experience has shown problems can arise if, with a small number of committed people, someone leaves for any reason.

A third “amber” rated project is Goldfields Organisation for Local Development of Sports CIC’s for Goldfields Recreation Ground at Greetland – this is “well run” but the council is awaiting some information before upgrading.

New projects for HIMMAT at Hanson Lane Recreation Ground, Halifax, for The Space @ Field Lane group at Field Lane Community Centre, Rastrick, and for Sowerby Bridge Fire and Water Limited at Sowerby Bridge Fire and Water are all at early stages with meetings planned.

Only completed and current transfers are on the monitor list – monitoring is initially done six monthly, then annually after that, members of the council’s CAFM Asset Management Board, which assesses the council’s land and property, was told.

After earlier transfers where difficulties had been encountered, the desire was to establish a more formal structure, councillors learned.