News

Rumours that Hawkinge Village Hall is to be shut have been refuted by the Parish Council Chairman, David Callahan during the council's April  monthly meeting.

A letter from the secretary of the Hawkinge Village Hall Management Committee, Tony de Ste Croix about concerns over the future of the village hall was read out at the monthly parish council meeting.

Responding to the letter, Parish Council Chairman, Cllr David Callahan told the meeting that there were no plans to close the village hall, nor had there ever been any discussions to do so.

The letter explains why users of the hall, and others had been concerned about its future.

It alleges articles in the Folkestone Herald had been "contributed or written by Hawkinge Parish councillors," which it claims were "clearly representing the views of community centre trustees."

Both articles "refer to the impact of the village hall remaining open has had on the community centre finances.

The letter continues; "Contrary to their statements the impact has been minimal.

"There is only one way that the village hall could have a massive impact on the finances of the community centre, and that is if they were able to close down the village hall giving them a virtual monopoly of
community venues in the village.

"They would then be in a position to dramatically increase rates charged."

Mr de Ste Croix who was the former secretary and a trustee of the Hawkinge Community Centre wrote: "Without core funding the centre was not sustainable."

The letter continued saying that although the trustees are doing their best to balance the books, "Without a huge cash injection or core funding they (the new board) will not succeed."

But Cllr Colin Tearle, the council's appointed trustee and Hawkinge Community Centre treasurer disagreed with the views expressed in the letter.

In front of some 40 people who attended this month's parish council meeting he said that he had always maintained, even before he was appointed to the board, that this was not the case.

He pointed out: "Even without core funding and raising prices,  the new board, which took control last June, had brought with it new ideas and sound financial practices, and the last two months had in fact shown a trading surplus despite the scheduled debt repayments inherited from the previous trustees"  said Cllr Tearle.