Community centres facing axe 'among the cheapest to operate'

COMMUNITY centres in line for the axe are among the cheapest to run in the city, campaigners have claimed.

The city council plans to close six of its 43 centres, to save an estimated 120,000.

But recent figures show that two of these, Longstone and Colinton Mains, are among the most efficient. Both employ no paid staff, and cost less than 90 pence per user per visit. This compares to the 10.50 average cost per visit at Craigentinny Community Centre, and 16.88 at Royston.

Campaigners say the council will save little or no money by moving services elsewhere, and also claim alternative centres are not easily accessible for the elderly and parents with young children.

Hundreds of people have signed a petition calling for Colinton Mains to be saved. The centre receives only 5,261 a year in council funding. It provides vital services such as Sure Start, for young children, as well as youth groups and activities for OAPs.

Other centres which are set to close are Sighthill and Gorgie Memorial Hall, the Platform Adult Learning Centre in Wester Hailes and The Number Shop on the Pleasance. The last two have relatively high running costs, as they provide tuition to adult learners in small groups.

Councillor Jason Rust, who represents Colinton and Fairmilehead, said: "These figures highlight the nonsense of the council's position.

"No regard has been taken of catchment in the review and the centre at Colinton Mains serves a large area including Colinton, Craiglockhart and Fairmilehead.

"It would seem that the council is undertaking this closure for political reasons. It will result in minimal saving to the council, but will be at great expense to local communities."

Peggy Wright, secretary of Colinton Mains management committee, said the actual usage figures were higher, since only groups that met weekly had been counted.

She said: "The main loss will be Sure Start. There are 30 or 40 families who use it, and about the same number on the waiting list.

"There are a lot of other activities, such as art and dance classes. Other centres won't be as easily accessible for elderly people or mums with prams."

A spokesman for the city council said: "Despite budget pressures, we have been working hard to maintain a modern community learning development service – we are committed to providing a high-quality service throughout the city. New community hubs will reduce costs but the quality of service will not affected.

"Users of the buildings set to close will still be able to access quality services nearby."

He said Longstone Community Centre was only a temporary unit, and services would move to the local primary school.