Town Council Vote in Private Meeting to Walk Away from Acquiring a New Village Hall for £1

Penrith town council during a closed door meeting that excluded memenrs for the public have voted to walk away from acquiring a purpose build village hall that has been built in Carleton by Persimmon Homes as part of the Carleton Meadows Development.

The village hall has been constructed as part of a developer S106 commitment that had also included at the time a new primary school to be built as part of the S106.

The town council had agreed in 2023 to work with the developers and had agreed a £25,000 budget for the town council to profess a business case and reports.

In March this year the town council in another private meeting the town councillors were asked to decide whether to continue or not to continue to express an interest in acquiring the village hall with the councillors voting in March to continues to express an interest in acquiring the Village Hall that the s106 had set a £1 charge for the transfer.

The town council meeting last week in another private meeting excluding press and public voted to not to now proceed with the ownership of Carleton Village Hall and to inform Persimmon Homes and Westmorland and Furness Council of the decision.

The town council have given no comment or reason for the decision not to take on what would be a community building that would offer a space for events and meetings long with sporting facilities changing rooms and kitchen and office space.

A spokesperson for Westmorland and Furness Council said: “Westmorland and Furness Council was aware of Penrith Town Council’s expression of interest in the future management of the new hall and was supportive of that approach.

“Given the town council’s recent decision to not pursue this, alternative options for the hall’s management are now being considered and Westmorland and Furness Council remains in contact with the developer regarding next steps.’’

The terms of the S106 agreement mean that if the council decides not to take ownership of the village hall the developer can market the property and sell it.