It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Ms McVey. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Chelsea and Fulham (Ben Coleman) for securing this important debate. Last September, I held the Positive about Poole event in my constituency, which brought together key representatives from the...

It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Ms McVey. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Chelsea and Fulham (Ben Coleman) for securing this important debate. Last September, I held the Positive about Poole event in my constituency, which brought together key representatives from the...

My hon. Friend is right to highlight that many public buildings, such as community centres, are languishing, unused and unloved, and could be regenerated for the community with some investment. I hope that the Pride in Place programme, along with other programmes that have been mentioned by my hon. Friend...

My hon. Friend is right to highlight that many public buildings, such as community centres, are languishing, unused and unloved, and could be regenerated for the community with some investment. I hope that the Pride in Place programme, along with other programmes that have been mentioned by my hon. Friend...

Trelander Community Centre, which is owned by the council, has recently closed in my constituency. When centres close—this one was burned down—we have issues getting the funding to rebuild them, either from the council or from the insurer. That seems to be a gap. The centre is still languishing, shut,...

Trelander Community Centre, which is owned by the council, has recently closed in my constituency. When centres close—this one was burned down—we have issues getting the funding to rebuild them, either from the council or from the insurer. That seems to be a gap. The centre is still languishing, shut,...

I am grateful for the chance to speak on Government support for voluntary groups and community centres because, in communities such as mine, those organisations are not an optional extra—they are part of the basic social infrastructure that keeps people connected, supported and hopeful. If Members had attended the ROSSCAs,...

I am grateful for the chance to speak on Government support for voluntary groups and community centres because, in communities such as mine, those organisations are not an optional extra—they are part of the basic social infrastructure that keeps people connected, supported and hopeful. If Members had attended the ROSSCAs,...

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms McVey. I thank the hon. Member for Chelsea and Fulham (Ben Coleman) for securing this very interesting debate. Across the country, voluntary organisations act as the backbone of community life, providing essential services for residents, whether that is feeding the...

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms McVey. I thank the hon. Member for Chelsea and Fulham (Ben Coleman) for securing this very interesting debate. Across the country, voluntary organisations act as the backbone of community life, providing essential services for residents, whether that is feeding the...

Motion that this House has considered Government support for voluntary groups and community centres. Agreed to on question.

Motion that this House has considered Government support for voluntary groups and community centres. Agreed to on question.

I beg to move,

That this House has considered Government support for voluntary groups and community centres.

It is a great pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms McVey. I am grateful for the opportunity to introduce this debate, because voluntary organisations and community centres are central to our public life. I...

I beg to move,

That this House has considered Government support for voluntary groups and community centres.

It is a great pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms McVey. I am grateful for the opportunity to introduce this debate, because voluntary organisations and community centres are central to our public life. I...

My hon. Friend is making a powerful speech on the contribution that community centres make to our communities. Will he join me in commending Farnley Community Centre, which is putting on an Easter parade and giving out not only chocolate eggs to local residents, but applications for the neighbourhood board...

My hon. Friend is making a powerful speech on the contribution that community centres make to our communities. Will he join me in commending Farnley Community Centre, which is putting on an Easter parade and giving out not only chocolate eggs to local residents, but applications for the neighbourhood board...

It is indeed, and I am grateful for the opportunity to recognise Farnley Community Centre, which is being innovative in encouraging people not only to get their egg, but to take part in a community discussion about how to spend the money that this Government have made available across the...

It is indeed, and I am grateful for the opportunity to recognise Farnley Community Centre, which is being innovative in encouraging people not only to get their egg, but to take part in a community discussion about how to spend the money that this Government have made available across the...

Does my hon. Friend agree that for those places that have not yet had Pride in Place funding, bodies such as the National Lottery Community Fund, Sport England, the Arts Council and the National Lottery Heritage Fund are also great sources of funding and could be encouraged to do things...

Does my hon. Friend agree that for those places that have not yet had Pride in Place funding, bodies such as the National Lottery Community Fund, Sport England, the Arts Council and the National Lottery Heritage Fund are also great sources of funding and could be encouraged to do things...

Again, that is an excellent point from my hon. Friend. There is everything to be gained from local authorities looking at the plethora of support available to them, and equally from those providing support—whether it is Sport England, Arts Council or Heritage Lottery funding—being as simple as possible in enabling...

Again, that is an excellent point from my hon. Friend. There is everything to be gained from local authorities looking at the plethora of support available to them, and equally from those providing support—whether it is Sport England, Arts Council or Heritage Lottery funding—being as simple as possible in enabling...

I thank the hon. Member for securing this debate. Is it not the case that our community and voluntary organisations provide essential services in areas that Government simply cannot reach effectively? In my own constituency, we have the examples of uHub, Bangor food bank, and local community groups from working-class...

I thank the hon. Member for securing this debate. Is it not the case that our community and voluntary organisations provide essential services in areas that Government simply cannot reach effectively? In my own constituency, we have the examples of uHub, Bangor food bank, and local community groups from working-class...

I absolutely do, and I am sure the food bank and community groups in the hon. Member’s community welcome his support. That is absolutely in line with what I am saying—these are essential parts of our community. We have two food banks in my own constituency. It is a crying...

I absolutely do, and I am sure the food bank and community groups in the hon. Member’s community welcome his support. That is absolutely in line with what I am saying—these are essential parts of our community. We have two food banks in my own constituency. It is a crying...

I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing this debate. On the point of under-investment over many years, he is making a really good case that community centres are places that bring people together and get them active and talking, resulting in improvements in mental and physical wellbeing. My constituency has...

I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing this debate. On the point of under-investment over many years, he is making a really good case that community centres are places that bring people together and get them active and talking, resulting in improvements in mental and physical wellbeing. My constituency has...

I absolutely agree. I am sure that my hon. Friend has fought hard for the Swanscombe pavilion, and it is a great shame that it has closed. I am going to explore the reasons why these things happen in just a minute, but sometimes one thinks that local authorities could...

I absolutely agree. I am sure that my hon. Friend has fought hard for the Swanscombe pavilion, and it is a great shame that it has closed. I am going to explore the reasons why these things happen in just a minute, but sometimes one thinks that local authorities could...

Hear, hear!

Hear, hear!

Well, it is important to set these things out clearly. Underpinning all these things is the absence of a national framework. There is currently no consistent guidance for local authorities on how to support community centres that are managing publicly owned buildings. There are no clear standards on tenancy practices....

Well, it is important to set these things out clearly. Underpinning all these things is the absence of a national framework. There is currently no consistent guidance for local authorities on how to support community centres that are managing publicly owned buildings. There are no clear standards on tenancy practices....