Social Enterprises and Community Ownership Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department for Business and Trade
Brian Leishman
Main Page: Brian Leishman (Labour - Alloa and Grangemouth)Department Debates - View all Brian Leishman's debates with the Department for Business and Trade
(1 day, 10 hours ago)
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Brian Leishman (Alloa and Grangemouth) (Lab)
It is a pleasure to see you in the Chair this afternoon, Sir John, and I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Leigh and Atherton (Jo Platt) for securing this debate. When it comes to recognising what communities need, no one knows better than local folk. I am lucky that there are so many special organisations and inspirational people positively impacting all the communities across Alloa and Grangemouth, and I would like to highlight a few today.
The Newlands community hall in Grangemouth has been taken over by SeaLock Infinity, which has increased community use of the facility with various clubs, exercise classes and social activities taking place. That will improve health and wellbeing enormously. Also in Grangemouth, the local community council successfully campaigned against the cuts to Zetland Park maintenance. In the beautiful Zetland and Inchyra Parks, the Central Football Foundation has taken on the pavilions. Extensive repair works that will make the pavilions more energy-efficient are scheduled, and alongside the Young Portonian Theatre Company, they will be excellent venues for sporting and cultural community activities. Another local football club doing great things is Gairdoch United, which has taken on the Glensburgh pavilion in Carronshore and the Letham pavilion, for the advancement of public participation in the beautiful game.
Across the constituency in Clackmannan, the development trust has secured the future of the town hall, where I had a ball playing indoor bowls—badly, I must admit. The trust has also taken on the library, and it plans to expand the range of activities that it offers to local people—congratulations to everyone involved. It was great to meet Janette from the Tullibody community development trust, which promotes social inclusion and healthy living, and is instrumental in creating community spirit and a sense of tremendous local pride. I also met those involved in the Tullibody Heritage Centre. Its history group has amassed an incredible collection that celebrates life in the ancient village—a fantastic way to spend a morning. Last Saturday, I popped into the Ben Cleuch Centre in Tillicoultry for World Book Day, where some of the trustees were dressed up as famous literary characters.
Whether it is providing libraries, meeting rooms, workspaces, kids’ play areas, community gardens or warm spaces for socialising and catching up, the Tillicoultry, Coalsnaughton and Devonside development trust is doing so much good. Community asset transfers are so much more than just taking on a building: the feeling of belonging that they often provide is invaluable, and the people involved deserve every bit of credit possible.