THE FUTURE of the old Park Street School building in Abergavenny is due to be debated this week by Monmouthshire's cabinet members.

The Abergavenny Community Trust has submitted a proposal to operate a social hub from the former school site and aims to improve the quality of lives by providing a multi use centre.

The proposal suggests that the trust will create a 'centre for well-being' along with it becoming a social hub for learning and community arts and offering provision for a child's nursery.

Officers for the council have recommended that the authority approve a 25-year lease of the old school building and a separate lease on the car park, initially for a year.

The authority believes that the trust's proposal fits with the council's Your County Your Way agenda.

However, Monmouthshire County Council pointed out that not selling the site impacts on their overall educational plans with the loss of a capital receipt for the whole site in the order of approximately £300,000.

This proposal represents a material change to the capital programme forecast as the sale would be used to help fund the council's 21st Century Schools programme.

The Abergavenny Community Trust is made up of individuals who are committed to the project and have undertaken substantial research.

At the heart of the scheme is a business plan, which has been ratified by Monmouthshire Enterprise and identifies that local residents have spotted an opportunity to provide a self-sustaining, multi-use community facility at the former school.

The trust's proposal is aimed at the grassroots of Abergavenny and focuses on developing a range of 'early intervention and preventative supports' across the locality.

The trust believes that if it is successful with its bid it will create a centre which will become a vibrant social hub which captures and builds on social connections and provides a centre where local services can be carried out including music and cultural exchange, community dining, support and self-help groups and out of school hours learning and weekend activities.

Marian Pearse, a spokeswoman for the trust said, "It has been a long campaign which started in earnest in 2006. Many of our core principles from those early days are still present in this document.

"It's basically about improving the lives of people who live in the area by having a centre at the heart of the community.

"It's about creating and improving people's well being and developing stronger community ties.

Councillor Bob Greenland, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member responsible for Modernisation and Enterprise said, "This proposal represents a new way forward for the council. It's no longer acceptable just to do things for communities on their behalf.

"Our Your County Your Way initiative commits us to supporting communities with projects like this that, whilst being community led, can be best delivered with the support and expertise of the county council."

"We had originally planned to sell the site, so there will be a loss of capital income. But this would be more than offset by the social and economic benefits of the project.

"I'm delighted that cabinet is to discuss this innovative proposal and I look forward to seeing many more such community led initiatives in the future," said Councillor Greenland.

• Councillors voted at Wednesday's meeting to give the go-ahead to the scheme with certain caveats imposed.

For full details see next week's Chronicle