The idea of a one stop shop / hub is not a new idea. It was first proposed in a paper 15 years ago by Mick Shaw manager of the Volunteer Centre. It was supported by the Parish Council from that day. Personally I have been working towards its creation for the last 10 years. It almost happened during initial negotiations with LCC over the takeover of the library but LCC would not agree to selling the library building.

The community confirmed their wish for a one stop shop via the questionnaire delivered to every home as part of the Village Appraisal. This was backed up by the Parish Councils Survey Monkey update of the Appraisal and the snapshot poll at Music in the Park. Castle Donington is in need of a community facility. Although the Village Hall committee do an admirable job of operating our Village Hall our community facilities are little better than that of Hemington & Lockington.

The problem has always been finding a suitable building close to the centre of the community. Last year the Parish council unanimously decided that the sale of the Tudor Hotel was a once in a generation opportunity to fulfil this need.

The new Hub will provide a home for the community library. The model used by LCC to setup the community libraries involves a sliding scale of financial support from 100% to 0% in seven years. This leaves the volunteers with the task of funding the library from donations. In particular finding the money to heat a single brick single glazed flat roofed building with a large inefficient heating system. Plus funding a photocopier, broadband, IT services, waste collection, and water rates.

The new Hub will provide a home for The Volunteer Centre. The Volunteer Centre does have good premises in the centre of the community. However it does have similar financial commitments to the Parish Council, energy costs, rent, photocopier costs, broadband, IT services.

The new Hub will provide a home for the Parish Council. The current building has similar overheads to that of the volunteer centre. The offices are small and the council chamber is greatly underused as it has only one purpose.

Moving to the Hub will allow all three organisations to share one set of services and the overheads of a well equipped low energy building that has a secure future. But this is only the start. The offices upstairs will have hot decks which can be used by any organisation that benefit our community the meeting room and consulting room will allow NWLDC, LCC, Citizens Advice, Police etc to hold surgeries so that officers controlling facilities in our community come and see us. It will provide opportunities for the organisations to work more closely. Modern facilities available to be used by any local volunteer groups.

The community facilities down stairs will allow the community to develop services they need such as seniors lunch clubs, before and after school clubs, youth clubs, mother and toddler groups, health advice that we struggle to offer at the doctors surgery. We are only limited by our imagination. The function room will be large enough to act as a theatre for live performances or films. It can be hired for functions or meetings.

It will also be a place for people to just drop in and have a chat and a coffee. Read a book or paper in the library, use the computer or WiFi.

I truly believe this building will serve our community well for many years.

October 2017

Chris Hills
Chairman Castle Donington Parish Council