Education centre charges to groups in Carmarthenshire have been reviewed.
The new charges being introduced on September 1st will help ensure a fairer and equal system out of school users and help to sustain their provision.
The increases will be staged for those who have been paying considerable less-in some cases less than half-the current economic rate.
Earlier in the summer the Authority carried out a review of the room rental charges at each of the seven Carmarthenshire Community Education Centres. This review has shown that there were differing rates at some centres and no direct links to the County Council’s central lettings policy.
However, the current and well publicised financial pressures on all public sector bodies – including the County Council, has meant that the Authority’s community learning service must maximise the revenue gained from rental in each of our community education centres to ensure their future.
It has been explained to all the groups currently using Carmarthen CEC that room rental fees will rise next month (Sept 2010). There are currently 32 sessions run for clubs and groups outside our Community Education provision. The majority have already replied indicating that they wish to continue to use the centre. Only one group has indicated that they do not wish to continue to use the centre given the new rates.
County lifelong learning networks manager, Matt Morden, said: “The current set room rental letting rate (including schools) is £8.56 per hour (Mon to Sat ) and £11.33 on Sundays. However, since we are aware that some groups currently pay considerably less than this for room hire, we are raising the rental rate on a staged basis to help ease the burden.
“While we appreciate that these are significant increases to the fee structure, these changes will bring the rates charged at community education centres in line with other council education buildings. They will also help to ensure that sufficient revenue is gained to enable our centres to remain open and used by learners and a wide range of community groups.
“Merlin Youth Theatre has been using the Carmarthen centre for 12 years. They are the sole users of the centre on Sundays, requiring us to have to put in place dedicated caretaker support to open and close the building. They currently pay for three hours use, although they actually use the centre for six hours each week. Since this does not cover all of our running costs, the revisions to our fees are needed to ensure we have a viable service at a time public sector cuts.”
It should be noted the arrangements are further complicated by the current restrictions on council staff overtime payments.
County executive board member for regeneration and leisure services, Clive Scourfield, said: “Financial scrutiny of charges for use of council facilities has show a wide and unfair disparity of charges to various groups across the county. Our officers have worked hard to prepare a level playing field of charges for all that will withstand accounting scrutiny and hopefully help sustain the superb facilities provided by the county into the future.”
