VICTORY for Corby community centre campaign as council boss changes mind on cuts

North Northants Council have U-turned on a proposal to cut funding to ten Corby community centres.

Council leader Jason Smithers (Cons, Oundle) announced tonight (Thursday, February 2) that the proposal will now not be included in the authority’s proposed 2023/24 budget.

The Northants Telegraph launched a campaign alongside locals and Labour councillors on Monday to try to save the centres after NNC announced it wanted to remove their £112,000 core grant.

Feedback from locals was overwhelmingly negative, with many centre representatives telling our reporter that their facilities would close without the cash.

MP Tom Pursglove also raised concerns about the plan and had been due to meet with Cllr Smithers tomorrow (Friday) to pass on comments from local people. A public meeting was due to take place next week and a petition was signed by hundreds.

And just four days after the campaign launched, the leader and executive tonight informed councillors and the media that they have removed the proposal from their budget, which was published yesterday (Wednesday) and had been due to go before members for ratification at the end of the month.

CllrSmithers said: “We are a listening council and we have heard the voice of the local community on this important issue. I do understand the vital role community centres play in our local neighbourhoods and we do need to listen carefully to what has been said.

“Removing this proposal from the budget at this stage is absolutely the right thing to do. I will ensure that we continue to engage with local communities across North Northamptonshire on this important issue.”

Councillor Alison Dalziel (Lab, Corby West) has helped lead the campaign against the cuts. She said tonight: “I am very relieved to hear that the proposed funding cuts for community centres has been withdrawn from the budget for 23/24 and I’d like to thank officers and the executive for listening to the people of Corby.

"The public outcry against these proposals showed this council how much our local community centres mean to Corby. It cannot be understated the vital role that community centres play in the health and wellbeing of our residents, and to be perfectly honest, it is baffling that a proposal to cut the funding was even considered.

"The combination of the petition, the recent meeting of representatives of the centres, a planned further public meeting on Monday and the countless emails we have all been receiving this week clearly swayed the council to listen. We would now respectfully ask NNC to protect our funding for the next few years so that we do not have to endure this again. Thank you to everyone for your support.”