THE future of Bordon’s Forest Community Centre hangs in the balance as the Whitehill and Bordon Community Association, which operates the hub, is set to throw in the towel next month, having run “a very tight budget” in recent years.

“The current economic circumstances have led to the Whitehill and Bordon Community Association deciding to surrender its lease on the Forest Community Centre on March 31, 2018,” Community Association chairman Lawrence Tristram explained.

“We are working hard to ensure that another organisation will take over the running of the centre.

“To ensure that the building remains open for all user groups we will continue, if necessary, running the building for a reasonable length of time after this date in order to reassign the lease to another organisation.

“Our commitment to the community and users of the Forest Community Centre has always been and remains our prime objective.”

For the past three years, East Hampshire District Council has granted the Community Association £6,000 annually towards its costs - these funds, which are due to terminate in 2018-19, had just about kept it above water.

But the finances have still been tight and there has always been a need for some level of subsidisation.

Mr Tristram highlighted the difficult position of the Community Association, which has run the centre for the past 30 years.

Grants aside, the Community Association generates revenue from hiring out the centre. However, raising prices will not necessarily bring in more money, but risks instead pushing smaller centre users away.

Generally, Mr Tristram said, the Community Association has been charging as much as it can.

However, despite the gloomy forecast, he imagines the doors will “stay open” as the Forest Community Centre, in Pinehill Road, hosts both the Citizens Advice office and Whitehill Town Council, making total closure unlikely.

Furthermore, East Hampshire District Council, technically the Community Association’s landlord, owns the building so has a vested interest in its future.

But, as it stands, unless another leaseholder steps up to the plate soon, Mr Tristram said staff working under the Community Association will have to be made redundant.

Centre manager Lindsay Kelly explained that, although there are 11 employees on the books, most are part time, with just seven members of core staff operating the centre. All of them are employed by the Community Association.

This week the association is sitting down with East Hampshire District Council to “start dealing with the nitty gritty of keeping the centre open”.

Described as a “service to the community”, the building sees an average weekly footfall of around 1,000 people.

A council spokesman said: “East Hampshire District Council knows the Forest Community Centre is an important facility for Whitehill and Bordon residents.

“East Hampshire District Council is working with Whitehill and Bordon Community Association and Whitehill Town Council to find a long-term solution to ensure a sustainable and vibrant future.”

The district council has stated that it is “committed to supporting partner organisations”, however “must make sure the grants we issue are focused on projects that most closely match the council’s priorities”.

“We are holding a review of our grant-funding policy to establish how best to harness council and other funding streams to support our most vulnerable communities,” the district council added.

“This isn’t about making cuts. This is about identifying the most effective methods of channelling public funds to these important organisations.

“For the past 15 years East Hampshire District Council has provided annual funding to a variety of partner organisations which provide excellent support and services to our local communities.

“Three years ago partners were advised that this funding would be coming to an end in 2018-2019 in line with a review of all grant funding.

“The council continues to fund Community First and Citizens Advice East Hampshire.

“Community First and the district council’s own community team are very experienced in finding alternative sources of funding and this knowhow and expertise will be made available for community organisations looking for this kind of support.”

Last week, the Daily Mail praised former district council leader Ferris Cowper for the business ethos he has been spearheading at the council. Last Wednesday, the paper highlighted that, as “95 per cent of councils in Britain plan to put up council tax by up to six per cent”, East Hampshire strived to buck the trend, freezing its council tax.

Writing in the Mail, Robert Hardman said: “A Conservative councillor for 19 years and council leader for seven, Mr Cowper’s two proudest claims are that, while he has been in charge, his council never put up its tax by a penny, but crucially, without ever axing a ‘frontline’ service.”

Mr Cowper goes on to say it is the council’s strategy to “improve services”.

While it may be a bumpy ride for some, time will tell whether this turbulence is all just paving the way for improvements at the Forest Community Centre.