Hope for community as 'vital' Meads Parish Hall is discussed at parliament

Robert Smart, Meads councillor and chair of trustees, and Mitch Peacock, trustee of Meads Parish Hall, met with the Levelling Up Minister to talk about saving the facility.

The hall is a vital venue for the local community and was used by a wide range of local groups, until its forced closure in December due to it being ‘unsafe after years of little maintenance’.

The 98-year-old building is now open for the time being, but Mr Peacock told the minister if restoration isn't carried out soon, it will have to close permanently.

It reportedly needs about £500,000 to modernise and refurbish it.

Volunteers have come together to set up a charity in order to save the hall and are now looking towards the Community Ownership Fund as the source of much of what they need for the project.

Eastbourne and Willingdon MP Caroline Ansell, who invited the community leaders to parliament, said she will ‘do all I can’ to support the group.

“The meeting gave Robert and Mitch the chance to run through all their questions on the scheme, application process and timelines,” she said.

“The minister in turn set out how saving key community assets was exactly what he hoped for from applicants to the fund and explained just how keen the government are to get these funds out to projects.

“The latest round of the fund has seen some significant changes that will help. Match funding levels have been lowered from 50 per cent to 20 per cent and the funding cap increased from £1 million to £2 million.

“I will do all I can to support the group in its work to find money and apply to the fund.”

Mr Peacock added: “We have had a very informative day meeting with the minister and were able to learn some very important information that will allow us to take forward our application for the Community Ownership Fund.

Councillor Smart added: “We were delighted to hear today that we are now registered with the charity commission, so we are ready to go with our Community Ownership Fund application for which we have high hopes."