Brora and district residents consulted over community buy-out of village hub
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A COMMUNITY buy-out of the Highland Council-owned Brora Village Hub is under consideration, it has emerged.
Local residents are currently being consulted to find out if they would support the move.
The hub, formerly the Beachview Day Centre, and located next to a housing scheme at Muirfield Road, is leased by the local authority to NHS Highland.
In turn NHS Highland has a contract with social enterprise group Engaging with Activity (EWA) to provide a programme of activities at the hub.
EWA has been operating out of the hub for seven years and has run a wide range of events, activities and classes such as art, music, gardening and walking.
Hub manager Kath Hunter said: “Highland Council would like to work towards transferring the building to community ownership with the aim of providing a secure and positive future for the continuation of the Brora Hub service.
“EWA have agreed to investigate options for the future delivery of services.
“This would include the possibility of a community buy-out which would need to be operated by a charity run by the local community.
“A transfer of ownership would offer possibilities to expand the activities and service already provided.”
But Ms Hunter has made it clear that the community’s involvement is crucial to any transfer move.
In the meantime, she said, it was “business as usual”.
The survey, which was launched earlier this week by Brora Development Trust, asks participants if they feel community ownership would be a “positive step” and if the property would be an asset for the community.
Local householders are also being asked if they are aware of the services and activities on offer at the hub and, if so, to rate them on a scale from okay to very good.
Click here to access the survey. Anyone interested in taking part has until next Wednesday, November 9, to do so.
