ABERGAVENNY Community Trust which operates a ‘community hub service’ from the town’s former Park Street School looks set to be given a 25 year lease on the building.

A report due to go before MCC’s cabinet next week recommends granting the lease to the organisation, along with a three year lease on the adjacent car park.

MCC agreed to lease the former school in July 2012 following a local campaign to protect the building from development and instead utilise it as a community resource to be managed by local volunteers.

The Abergavenny Community Trust was created to manage this building and started operation in March 2015.

The original vision of ACT was to secure a three year lease and use this as a platform to generate longer term funding through a blend of commercial income, grant and philanthropic funding streams.

The original agreement contained a clause that in the event that the trust was able to secure £230,000 a 25 year lease would automatically be entered into.

Although this target has not been met, ACT remains committed to the delivery of community provision and has now asked for a 25 year lease which will broaden its opportunities for grant funding and secure the long term future as a short term lease does not allow it to develop the business plan needed for substantial grant aid.

The report suggests that essential upgrades to the building are set to cost ACT at least £200,000.

Over the past three years ACT has tackled the problem of social isolation in the area and with more than £20,000 in donations and grats has established community kitchen, run a Monday café in partnership with the Food Bank, run conversation cafes for Syrian refugees to support their English language skills, have a growing space supported by Incredible Edibles and host Christmas lunches and world bistro evenings.

The centre has become a meeting venue for over 31 clubs, has created five part time paid roles, has 30 volunteers and generated £133,000 income over the initial three year period.

The car park is offered on a three year lease to help attract grant funding, with the proviso that if this does not happen ACT it could be sold for development with any income ring fenced to the Councils 21st century schools agenda.

If granted the 25 year lease will generate an annual rental income of £9,250 for MCC but prevent the freehold disposal of the asset and there is an opportunity cost of circa around £300,000.

Similarly the grant of a three year lease on the car park will generate an annual rental of £1,200 - ‘There is however an opportunitycost of circa £100,000,’ says the cabinet report.

MCC’s cabinet will decide on the issue at its next meeting on Wednesday, June 6.