PRC still closed
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After yet another year of confusion and frustration, the pepys resource centre remains closed. So what the hell is going on? Seems those with the responsibility for keeping this community resource open and available have lost hope. Now stories are surfacing of attempts to hand off the space to Hyde Housing rather than respond to increasing calls for a public access resource centre in the estate. Hey planet pepys , don’t loose this great space at the rivers edge. Protect the community assets and re open PRC.
July 27, 2007 at 10:40 am
I talked to Dave Flemming last night who currently has control over PRC. Due to lack of interest by residents and committee members (some of the members hadn’t turned up to meetings for up to three years) and the two key members leaving the estate (Gill and Sasha) PRC has fallen into disuse. Dave Flemming who originally negotiated the lease with the council has taken control largely by default. I believe an ex committee member by the name of Devon had a plan for what to do with the centre but I have received conflicting reports as to the nature of this idea (from a Gospel Church to Black History Centre) so I can’t really comment. I do know that Dave said last night that there was no insurance or public liability so it cannot be re-opened until some kind of plan is in place and funding achieved. He also said that he was awaiting a letter from the council and there was an ‘idea’ in the works. I will try and find out more and post here. If anyone knows Devon it would great if they could them to contact someone at coopepys and let us know what there idea was. The general consensus is that if someone doesn’t come up with a plan for something the council will take it back and use it for something non-inclusive (like housing or a training centre). If we want to keep this resource for community use we have to come up with something. The main problem is that the few people on the estate who have the skills to obtain funding for programmes (mainly Pepys Community Forum) say they are too busy on long term stuff (Oxestalls road proposal, Convoys Wharf) and obtaining funding for the programmes they already run to do anything new. If more people had skills in this area I am sure a community led effort could be made to sort out something at PRC but as there isn’t it seem that we will have to let Dave and the Council come up with a plan.
AF
July 31, 2007 at 3:45 pm
So how does Dave or any other single elected person or PRC board member can have control over the future of PRC. Are you suggesting that the community have no interest in operating or using the space?. In the few months during 2006 when the door was held open the centre was busy and active.
The proceedure for intervention and assertion of community rights to access - those outlined in the articles of the PRC company and the charitable aims - have been blocked by outgoing members - Gill and Sasha in the questionable handing over of ‘keys’ to Dave Flemming and denial of any alternative approaches made prior to this.
Let all with an interest in holding the space open for all to use declare their interest and assume control at the earliest opportunity.
Come on Planet Pepys - activate now or loose out again…!