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Councillors for Ashley ward are working to ensure that the Malcolm X Centre in St Pauls remains open and serving the local community.
Councillor Hoyt said:
“The centre has faced its share of problems over the years, and the latest dispute between the Council and the Management Group has re-opened old wounds and has led to some fearing for the centre’s future. This is why we have been in contact with both council officers and the local community to see how the issue can be resolved. We are pleased to hear the reassurance from the council that the centre will not close, though there is still a concern that new bookings might not have been made or existing ones lost since the announcements in the press questioning the centre’s future.”
The councillors have met with staff, users, council officers and the management of the centre over the last few days to facilitate an optimal outcome.
Recently at a meeting with the Mayor and active members in the St Pauls Carnival community, Councillor Hoyt stressed the impact that diminishing resources have on crucial community assets such as The Learning Centre, The Malcolm X Centre and Docklands.
Ashley’s other green Councillor Telford said:
“This latest turn of events concerning the Malcolm X Centre has highlighted the need for a strong vision for the centre that the St Pauls community can rally around. But this can’t be plucked out of thin air and assistance will also be required from the council.”
Cllr Hoyt added:
“We recognise that these are challenging times with the government cuts, but more not less investment is needed in our community centres in neighbourhoods like St. Paul’s. Community centres play a vital role in addressing isolation and deprivation and the Malcolm X Centre in St Pauls – along with Docklands are examples of this.”