Decision ref
0008 2025/26
Decision date
10/06/2025
Portfolio
Public Health
Wards
Bold and Lea Green, Moss Bank
Title
Localities Programme - Community Hubs Development
Summary
To approve the proposal to locate the North Community Hub, including relocated library, in Moss Bank Children's Centre, and to move the Bridge Centre (portage service for St Helens) to the South Community Hub.
Purpose
This report outlines the proposals to approve £250k of capital funding to enable the North Community Hub and library to be located at the Moss Bank Children’s Centre and for plans to make better use of the space at South Community Hub. This will fulfil the objectives for the localities programme as well as reducing the budget for libraries and ensuring that we are making better use of our resources.
Background
The Localities programme was identified in 2021 as an area of priority for the council and Cabinet
agreed to the introduction of a locality model based around 7 place localities and on the concept of
designing services and delivery around the bespoke needs of communities, recognising the
demographic and socio-economic conditions in each area.
Since then, significant work and progress has taken place and been ongoing to advance with localities
model and in October 2023, a workshop was held with members of the Strategic Leadership Team to
discuss and scope potential options for Locality Hubs. This resulted in proposed sites to be developed
across two phases and alignment with Family Hubs developments. The development of Locality Hubs
marks the next stage in the implementation of a locality model and this proposal will enable the
successful delivery of the first two Hubs.
The original intention was to base the North Community Hub in Moss Bank Library, which is currently
housed in a Torus owned building on Bowness Avenue. The lease for this building was up for renewal
in November 2024 and through lease negotiations, the costs for the library space have increased by
£17,823 and, on top of this, an extra £14,164 for the additional space to be used by the Hub. There is no
budget for these increases and so an alternative option has been sought.
The South Community Hub is launching in April 2025 and will be utilising all current available space.
Currently the Schools Library Service and Home Delivery Service are working out of the large sports
hall. More appropriate accommodation has been identified for this service in an industrial unit at
Delphwood Drive. Once these services vacate the sports hall, this would be brought back into
community use and will provide valuable space for the community hub and providing an opportunity to
reinstate the community cafe.
The objectives for the programme is to ensure that the Locality Hubs will be:
Multi-functional – offering a variety of services under one roof
Flexible – having the ability to shift and adapt to current and future needs
Low cost in the short term with medium term investment from external sources
Accessible - with proximity to other facilities
This proposal will enable both hubs to be multi-functional, offering a variety of services under one roof including the library, health, mental health, training and employment advice, housing and children’s and adult’s social workers. This proposal will ensure that both buildings are being utilised fully for the benefit of the local community and the council and partner organisation’s staff.
The hubs will be flexible and will adapt the services provided based on feedback from Hub users and the local community. The North Hub will be located next to the local primary school and Park Farm community centre and consultation has already taken place with these partners in order to complement the offer that already exists in this area.
The Council is facing an increased lease cost of £17.8k, and an annual lease cost of £53.6k, to continue to run Moss Bank Library from its current location and the budget available is only £40,199. A library is required in this locality and Moss Bank library was retained in January 2024 as the one library for the North Locality. Through the library strategy, it was determined that Moss Bank ward was the area of greatest need within the North Locality (this was based on factors such as educational attainment, health inequalities and deprivation) and therefore the library was retained in this area.
A capital investment is required to enable this proposal, and this will be based on an invest to save model. This proposal would ensure that £40,199 would not be paid to an external partner but instead would potentially secure a reduction to the charge to the library budget and additional income to Children's.
Conclusion
This report requests the Executive Director of Place in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Public Health approve the proposal to draw down capital funds of £250k in order to locate the North Community Hub, including relocated library, in Moss Bank Children's Centre, and to move the Bridge Centre (portage service for St Helens) to the South Community Hub.
Risk Implications
There is a risk that if we do not progress with the agreed plan to deliver locality hubs within the
borough, this would result in potential reputational risk as well as continued silo working and failure to bring services closer to the community.
There is a risk in relation to the standard of the building works, this is mitigated by procuring a reputable contractor and ensuring that they carry out their own risk and health and safety assessments. The project manager and property services team will also oversee all works.
There is a risk in the project overrunning. This is mitigated by the project manager who will will closely manage the works
Measures to Redress Risk
The opening of the community hubs as outlined will mitigate this risk by making progress towards the
achieved goal.
Careful planning, procurement and due diligence, as well as close governance and regular financial reporting in relation to the financial situation.
Declarations Of Interest
None
Equality Impact Assessment
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More information
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