COMMUNITY centres will be saved in Burnley after volunteer groups pledged to take them on.

If approved, Burnley Wood Community Centre, the Vanguard Community Centre and Linkbridge Community Support Centre would be handed over from the council.

Each centre provides a variety of services which range from cultural, educational and social activities.

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The volunteers behind each centre are now set to take over the buildings.

Burnley Council’s executive board will meet next week to vote on the handover at a lower than market value through a community asset transfer.

If passed, the exchange would see the three buildings gain a long lease which would take effect between April and September next year.

Simon Gill, centre manager at Linkbridge Community Support Centre in Swinless Street, said the move would benefit the groups in many ways.

He said: “It’s really good for us because it allows the centre to continue the important work it has done for more than 10 years.

“It helps us become solid and puts us in a better position for a more sustainable future.

“With the cuts and closures all around us it’s easy to think we are under a bit of pressure.

“The transfer gives us confidence we will be able to provide for the area.

“It will also put us in a better place for donations and funding applications.

“We will have a better chance at gaining funding if we look secure.”

Two other buildings, Middlesex Avenue and Ennismore Street Community Centres, would be offered initial leases as a first step towards the grant of a full 99-year lease within two years.

Karen Heseltine, manager at Burnley Wood Community Centre, said: “It opens more doors for the centre and gives us the opportunity for change.

“We are already running at absolute capacity and we are hoping to expand into the floor above with funding and with the building being ours, this will help gain funding easier.

“Our centre benefits old people, younger people and everyone in between, so it was important we had the reassurance the building is staying where it is.

“It’s down to us to find the money for upkeep and bills, but we don’t have to worry about the rent now.”

Despite the work of council officers, Kibble Bank Community Centre, in Underley Street, has not been able to find a stable group of volunteers to run activities.

Options will now be considered and a further report will be published by the council.

Cllr Gordon Birtwistle, leader of the Liberal Democrats on the council, said: “I welcome the news and it would be great to see the charities and community organisations make better use of the buildings than the council could.

“The centres are run by well-meaning, hard-working residents who do an amazing job.

“For example the Burnley Wood Leisure Centre has a really good luncheon club.

“I would hope the groups get advice on how to apply for the specific grants to help keep up with maintenance of the building.

“These places will not make a very large profit so paying for bills and repairs could become difficult, so help must be given.

“It would be a terrible shame for these vital services to stop because they provide people with a lot of help, comfort and enjoyment.”

Cllr Lian Pate, executive member for community services at the council, said: “The council is taking a step-by-step approach here.

“Our aim is to enable these buildings to remain as community facilities by transferring the assets to organisations which can run them successfully.

“In times of financial challenge for the council, we simply cannot foresee having the funds to maintain and improve the buildings in future years.

“We believe that charities and community benefit companies will be better placed than the council to get the grants and financial donations that will enable the buildings to continue operating.

“We will of course continue with the approach of providing support and advice to the charities and groups who are currently users of the buildings.

“Detailed issues will be worked out through the negotiations that would follow the executive decision.”

The council will meet on Tuesday, December 6, to vote on the plan.