The assets managed by local people are unfortunately not owned by the local people but leased, so the building or asset stays in the ownership of the people via SBC of course. The Tenancy at Will (like lease but not nearly so long term) is the initial agreement of who out of the owner and the occupier does what.
The group of local people will be committed to running the building for the benefit of the community and it's not fair to say that they do not ask the community what it wants to see going on. They may be not very good at that, but they are infinitely better at it than the borough, because the community very soon tells you what it thinks, especially if they are not happy with it - usually in the middle of a crowded foyer, very loudly and in not polite terms!.
Some centre's run it on strict business lines, they are fortunate, but in the main it's a run it to 'keep even' situation, local groups can get grants, but cannot get those for any builidng developments for the simple reason is they don't have long term leases, neither can you get cost for 'runnign costs' these have to be tagged onto some project or other. Unless they can raise money to pay staff, they have to give their lives up to being there, opening and shutting the building, cleaning etc. Although it can rent space out that's not so easy as you think.
In the past there was always a SBC grant to help out for the year, but that's not the norm now - the idea is that we give our TIME and provide a service for the community. Added to that the (expert) support that once was there has also gone.
Many years ago, I remember a senior SBC officer, who later became a Councillor once saying to me (at the time of Compulsory Competitive Tendering, that he was keen to see every community centre with a managment committee well and truly with their feet under the table, or he could see that, if CCT took off, all our centres could be sold off to anyone willing to take them on and jokingly said that our community centres could be own and run long arm from Nabisco Biscuits in Germany or some such analogy).
Unless there is a group of local people waiting to take over the Hall in question then I would say it's a good thing the Tamir community want to do it. If it's on a lease or Tenancy at Will they are in effect keeping the building warm and used until such time as the physical community want it back.
But like I said, it's a shame the question wasn't asked. I know SBC are reluctant to hand building management over to people who are raw recruits and rightly so, there is no one who can give that raw group the support they will need to do the job and the raw group won't be the one's winning in the faunding race.
If anyone wants to have a go, and have any skills they think would be relevant, please send me a personal message, I know of some vacancies on Trustee boards. Or pop into the Volunteer Centre and find what's on offer there - I can assure you there will be plenty of opportunties. Prepare to be interviewed!
Skills required at present: A tanker full of patience, PR, Marketing, Financial planning, budgeting, fundraising, secreterial, legal, and expect to be asked to be CRB checked. Having a smattering of correct procedures for meetings etc would help.
Other volunteer vacancies: *Caretaking, odd job men, cooks, bottle washers, floor cleaners, furniture humpers, PC repairs, publicists -posters, leaflets, web pages etc, receptionists, minute takers, typist, filing, even the odd bit of gardening.
* Expect to be called out at any hour night or day, lots of evening and weekend work.
