West Lothian’s opposition SNP group will make an 11th hour bid to stall changes in the running of community centres next week.
The largest single political group on the council hopes for cross-party support to stop the plan which currently looks set to take control of most of the community centres, depriving management committees of their role next year.
The motion calls for a review of the budget savings plan, which it says “risks losing essential community input and involvement in these vital facilities.”
In a letter sent to community centre management committees the SNP group’s deputy leader, Bathgate Councillor Pauline Stafford said: “The motion requests that any decisions and reports relating to West Lothian’s community centres are taken to full council for approval.
“We are working to find consensus with other parties and independent councillors on a sustainable future for our community centres.”
Setting out her case for the issue to be dealt with by full council, Councillor Stafford added: “A report on the conclusion of the review is due to come to Council Executive in October.
“However, given that the Labour administration have an inbuilt majority on this committee and that a decision of this magnitude will have serious consequences for every councillor’s ward our motion is requesting that any future reports and decisions be taken to full council for approval where all elected members will be able to represent their communities.”
The Council Executive is set to decide the next steps in the process which began in May 2024 in a bid to save the council more than £1m in running costs for all community centres and village halls across West Lothian.
Earlier this week the council reiterated its plans to maintain public spaces in communities.
A spokesman told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “It remains the council’s preference that community centres continue to remain community operated by local groups.
“We have been very pleased with the response from management committees and we thank them for their work to date.
“The vast majority of committees have taken the time to formally respond to us or have intimated by e-mail on their future intention.
“All the feedback is currently being collated, and a recommendation will be included in the report which is to be presented to councillors in October.”
Councillor Stafford told the LDRS ahead of Tuesday’s meeting of the full council: “The SNP group does not feel this consultation has been carried out in the spirit of true partnership working and that the three options proposed were not realistic or manageable for many of the voluntary management committees to take on.
“We now face the default position in which the council may take over the operation of any centres who refuse to sign up to the three options. These risks losing essential community input and involvement in these vital facilities.”
And she added: “We are also unclear as to how this approach would allow the council to make the agreed savings which have now increased from £1.073m to £1.841m since the savings measure was first agreed and which do not take into account the loss of non-domestic rates relief which community centre management groups currently enjoy.
“We believe now more than ever that our communities require the tools and assistance in order to support the health and wellbeing of residents, prevent isolation and loneliness and provide accessible spaces to promote social cohesion.
“We believe this savings measure as currently presented represents a great risk to our communities and requires a re-think.”
By Stuart Sommerville, Local Democracy Reporter
