Questions on Cobden Community Centre at Bolton Council

Earlier this year, the Cobden Community Centre in Halliwell was listed as one of several sites around the borough to be taken out of council ownership and handed over to new ownership.

But at a full meeting of Bolton Council last week Cllr Hanif Alli, of Halliwell, claimed community groups felt they were being left “out of the loop” about the centre’s new ownership.

He said: “I would like to know as an elected councillor for Halliwell ward as I have been approached by many of the local community groups who wish to be a part of managing and running that centre.”

“They are worried that they will be kept out of the loop, as was the case when they tried to get involved but felt that they were kept out when Hibbert Community Centre was handed over to a few local businessmen by the then, leader of the council, who was Cllr Martyn Cox.”

Bolton Council cabinet member for stronger communities Cllr Rabiya Jiva (Image: Newsquest)

But at this point, Conservative group leader Cllr Cox interjected to point out that he had in fact been deputy leader, rather than leader at the time.

Cllr Cox said that the Hibbert Centre had not been “handed over to a few businessmen” as the Green Party’s Cllr Alli claimed, but that a full report by council officers had been completed.

He said that the report concluded Bolton United Football Club would have made the best use of the building.

But Cllr Alli persisted in asking whether community groups would be told who was allowed to negotiate in any handover process for the Charlotte Street based Cobden Centre.

He also asked if there was going to be a “fair and transparent process” for local groups to apply to take over and manage the building.

In response council cabinet member for stronger communities, Labour’s Cllr Rabiya Jiva, warned against allowing “misinformation” to “change the narrative.”

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She said that the Cobden Centre was one of several council buildings possibly being moved to community use as part of a community asset transfer scheme.

Cllr Jiva said there will be an “open and transparent” 20-day consultation process.

She said: “Rest assured that under this administration we will ensure that all of our community assets are managed with the highest level of integrity which is essential to provide confidence to our residents that we are working to deliver the best outcome for the whole community.

“Something that the Green Party councillor should take heed of as I am fully aware of the chequered past of the management of community assets in Halliwell ward during his previous tenure as a councillor and on our watch that will not take place.”