Decision details

The Newington Community Centre is located within a housing estate and is part of the HRA portfolio. There is a series of works that are required including Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing items, which will significantly upgrade the energy efficiency of the building and lead to much lower operational costs for the centre in the long term. These improvements will also support the council’s transition to net zero across its asset portfolio. Other items included in these works are the renovation of the w/cs in the centre, creating accessible facilities for the community. Two small one-to-one offices will also be created to facilitate wellbeing sessions in the centre, and a new accessible entrance. These minor layout alterations will have large impacts on the operation of the centre overall and allow multiple uses of the space simultaneously, as opposed to one activity requiring the entire space.

The works to upgrade the existing building to an appropriate standard will be delivered alongside the Levelling Up Fund project that is delivering an extension to the building in order to house further training space in the building.

Cabinet agreed the following:

·  Approved a new project for Newington Community Centre as part of the HRA capital programme;

·  Approved that the refurbishment works to the Newington Community Centre be delivered with the Levelling Up Fund project at the Centre.

The decision allows for refurbishment works to the Newington Community Centre from the HRA programme, alongside the Levelling Up Fund scheme to add an extension to the Community Centre.

The refurbishment works could wait until another time, rather than being delivered alongside the Levelling Up Fund project. However, this will see an increase in costs for the works as some of the services already engaged for the Levelling Up Fund would need to be engaged again separately. Completing the works at the same time also means there will be less disruption for the Community Centre and the community that uses it.

An alternative option would be to not complete any works to the main building and focus on the extension. This would leave the main building in need of repairs, whilst the extension would be brand new. The works to the main building aim to resolve some accessibility issues and work towards a more sustainable building.