Two community facilities in Leeds are set to receive long-term stewardship from charitable organisations following council approval.
Leeds City Council’s executive board has sanctioned Community Asset Transfers for the Mandela Centre in Chapeltown and Ebor Gardens Community Centre.
RJC Dance, a cultural group affiliated with the Leeds West Indian Carnival and currently operating from the Chapeltown Road premises, will assume management under a 50-year lease agreement.
Project Hope Leeds, a charity supporting disadvantaged neighbourhoods in addressing poverty, will oversee the Ebor Gardens venue on Haslewood Drive for a 25-year period.
Both organisations submitted proposals outlining their plans for the facilities before being selected to assume operational control.
Documentation presented to the board indicated that RJC Dance has occupied the Mandela Centre building for roughly a decade and has already directed funds toward enhancements at the site.
The arrangement is anticipated to consolidate the venue’s position as a focal point for artistic programmes, cultural events, sporting activities and community initiatives, while preserving access for existing visitors and local groups.
Regarding the Ebor Gardens location, the transfer aims to address dwindling attendance levels and the gradual decline of the building’s condition.
The paperwork specified that the strategy encompasses expanding utilisation of the premises through the provision of meeting rooms, community activities and services tailored to address requirements specific to the local area.
Burmantofts and Richmond Hill Labour councillor Asghar Khan noted that Project Hope Leeds has maintained a presence within the community for approximately 15 years.
He expressed confidence in the organisation, stating that its objective involves collaborating with neighbourhood groups to restore Ebor Gardens Community Centre to a flourishing state.
Chapel Allerton Labour representative Mohammed Rafique offered support for the Mandela Centre handover.
He observed that RJC Dance has already undertaken considerable responsibility for the building, and indicated that elected members endorsed the community transfer arrangement.
According to the report, both transfers will generate financial savings for the local authority while removing future maintenance obligations.
The decisions were made at Wednesday’s gathering held at Leeds Civic Hall.