Pendle luncheon clubs for the over 50s are facing axe
8:28am Friday 14th September 2012 in News
By Tyrone Marshall, Reporter
LUNCHEON clubs for the over 50s in Pendle are set to be axed by the council.
Finance chiefs are considering withdrawing over £52,000 annual funding from running nine clubs across the borough, which are used by an average of 139 people a week.
They said they could no longer continue to run the nine clubs, but instead would try and support other community groups who could provide their own.
Coun John David said: “In these tough financial times, we’re having to think long and hard about how we spend council taxpayers’ money.
“This won’t be an easy decision for councillors to make because, although the clubs only cater for very few residents, they are very greatly appreciated.
“There are, however, alternatives to luncheon clubs for our existing customers.
“If we do decide not to continue with our existing luncheon clubs, we would make every effort to help our customers find an alternative that suits them. The council currently runs luncheon clubs at:
- Kelbrook Village Hall (Monday)
- Brierfield Town Hall (Monday)
- Barrowford Holmefield House (Tuesday)
- Barnoldswick Civic Hall (Tuesday)
- Trawden Community Centre (Wednesday)
- Railway Street Community Centre, Nelson (Wednesday)
- Hodge House Community Centre, Nelson (Thursday)
- Railway Street Community Centre, Nelson (Friday)
- Primet Community Centre, Colne (Friday) One user of a luncheon club, who did not want to be named, said: “For us it is not about the money, but it is about the social side, of getting out of the house and speaking to people.”
The council currently funds the nine luncheon clubs to the tune of £52,240 a year, but under the new plans they would instead offer £5,000 to community groups, churches or social enterprise who wanted to run their own.
The council’s executive group is to discuss scrapping the funding for luncheon clubs at a meeting on Thursday, September 20.
If the executive agrees to the changes the discussion would then go to full council on Thursday, September 27.
If approved the clubs would be axed by April 1 next year.
Comments(14)
tonygreaves
says...
4:44pm Fri 14 Sep 12
Tony Greaves
Michael@ClitheroeSince58
says...
5:35pm Fri 14 Sep 12
FREDF2009
says...
6:04pm Fri 14 Sep 12
Quote
Coun John David said: “In these tough financial times, we’re having to think long and hard about how we spend council taxpayers’ money.
So could we please then look at why Pendle Borough Council had to bail out the Ace Centre to the tune of approx £78K previously and God knows what it was for the last financial year and what will it be this year.
John David USED to speak sense, he now speaks tripe. All the funding that is being leached by Barnfield and Pendle Leisure Trust is disgusting from the Pendle Taxpayer.
Michael@ClitheroeSince58
says...
1:18am Sat 15 Sep 12
Michael@ClitheroeSinHow do I get a free dinner?
ce58 wrote:
How does an over 50 get this should they not be at work until they reach retirement age?
ROBERTSLUMDWELLER123
says...
7:49pm Sat 15 Sep 12
tonygreaves wrote:Tont why do you talk such ****?? you know **** well they are going to carry out this proposal from the finance chiefs" so why do you bother with your crass comments??
This is a proposal from "finance chiefs". No decisions yet made.
Tony Greaves
Lilaclilac
says...
5:32pm Sun 16 Sep 12
Lucy Porter 101
says...
11:38am Mon 17 Sep 12
It would be far cheaper for the Council to get pubs to offer a really cheap special pensioner's rate dinner instead and contribute a subsidy towards it.
It would reduce the cost to taxpayers hugely and help support struggling pubs.
ROBERTSLUMDWELLER123
says...
3:03pm Mon 17 Sep 12
Michael@ClitheroeSinits easy you get made redundant then cant!! no not wont. so yu have time on your hands..you moron
ce58 wrote:
Michael@ClitheroeSinHow do I get a free dinner?
ce58 wrote:
How does an over 50 get this should they not be at work until they reach retirement age?
FREDF2009
says...
5:22pm Mon 17 Sep 12
How much do you think it received in the last financial year from Pendle Council?
Combined total a staggering approximate total of £4 miliion!!!! Now it does not take a rocket scientist to work out that it is heavily being subsidised STILL by tje Council, but hang on I thought the idea was to set it up so it is less reliant on the Pendle Taxpayer!!!!
Year on year PLT comes back to the Executive asking for money and due to having Councillors sitting on their Board, not exactly independent.
It would be really interesting to see the accounts for PLT as this would raise a few eye brows.
HairyBowls
says...
7:27pm Wed 19 Sep 12
FREDF2009 wrote:Very true...its a scandal, and auditors from central government need to look at this as a matter of urgency.
Oh yes, Pendle Leisure Trust, set up many years ago so that it will be less dependent upon the taxpayer and be able to apply for external funding sources. When PLT was first set up it was given £1.5 million funding from PBC to provide it with a helping hand to get it started independent from the local authority.
How much do you think it received in the last financial year from Pendle Council?
Combined total a staggering approximate total of £4 miliion!!!! Now it does not take a rocket scientist to work out that it is heavily being subsidised STILL by tje Council, but hang on I thought the idea was to set it up so it is less reliant on the Pendle Taxpayer!!!!
Year on year PLT comes back to the Executive asking for money and due to having Councillors sitting on their Board, not exactly independent.
It would be really interesting to see the accounts for PLT as this would raise a few eye brows.
HairyBowls
says...
7:27pm Wed 19 Sep 12
FREDF2009 wrote:Very true...its a scandal, and auditors from central government need to look at this as a matter of urgency.
Oh yes, Pendle Leisure Trust, set up many years ago so that it will be less dependent upon the taxpayer and be able to apply for external funding sources. When PLT was first set up it was given £1.5 million funding from PBC to provide it with a helping hand to get it started independent from the local authority.
How much do you think it received in the last financial year from Pendle Council?
Combined total a staggering approximate total of £4 miliion!!!! Now it does not take a rocket scientist to work out that it is heavily being subsidised STILL by tje Council, but hang on I thought the idea was to set it up so it is less reliant on the Pendle Taxpayer!!!!
Year on year PLT comes back to the Executive asking for money and due to having Councillors sitting on their Board, not exactly independent.
It would be really interesting to see the accounts for PLT as this would raise a few eye brows.
ROBERTSLUMDWELLER123
says...
3:34pm Wed 26 Sep 12
FREDF2009 wrote:how much of the budget goes to subsidise the ACE centre???
Oh yes, Pendle Leisure Trust, set up many years ago so that it will be less dependent upon the taxpayer and be able to apply for external funding sources. When PLT was first set up it was given £1.5 million funding from PBC to provide it with a helping hand to get it started independent from the local authority.
How much do you think it received in the last financial year from Pendle Council?
Combined total a staggering approximate total of £4 miliion!!!! Now it does not take a rocket scientist to work out that it is heavily being subsidised STILL by tje Council, but hang on I thought the idea was to set it up so it is less reliant on the Pendle Taxpayer!!!!
Year on year PLT comes back to the Executive asking for money and due to having Councillors sitting on their Board, not exactly independent.
It would be really interesting to see the accounts for PLT as this would raise a few eye brows.
ROBERTSLUMDWELLER123
says...
3:34pm Wed 26 Sep 12
FREDF2009 wrote:how much of the budget goes to subsidise the ACE centre???
Oh yes, Pendle Leisure Trust, set up many years ago so that it will be less dependent upon the taxpayer and be able to apply for external funding sources. When PLT was first set up it was given £1.5 million funding from PBC to provide it with a helping hand to get it started independent from the local authority.
How much do you think it received in the last financial year from Pendle Council?
Combined total a staggering approximate total of £4 miliion!!!! Now it does not take a rocket scientist to work out that it is heavily being subsidised STILL by tje Council, but hang on I thought the idea was to set it up so it is less reliant on the Pendle Taxpayer!!!!
Year on year PLT comes back to the Executive asking for money and due to having Councillors sitting on their Board, not exactly independent.
It would be really interesting to see the accounts for PLT as this would raise a few eye brows.
Stuart Farquar says...
11:49am Fri 14 Sep 12