History
In October 2005, the Parish Council unofficially heard that the Afternoon WI was concerned about the hall, as it needed fundamental repairs. Also the running costs were barely being matched by the income and fundraising, and so the potential for future investment looked a little bleak. This, coupled with an increasingly ageing membership, was leading the Members to possibly reconsider its ownership and/or management of the building.
There was no desire to dissolve the Gurnard WI Branch, rather just to find a way to relinquish the responsibility and worry of managing the building itself. No official approach was initially made to the Parish Council by the WI so the situation marked time into the New Year, when local residents became aware of the perceived threat to the long term sustainability of the hall, which of course not only served the WI Members but the local Community as a whole as a valued community facility. Representations were made to the Parish Council in the hope that intervention might be possible - there was the obvious fear that the site might pass to a developer, and so be lost to the community. In March 2006, the Parish Council officially heard from the WI of its intention to sell the building and land, and so the Parish Council has requested a meeting with the WI, to explore all possible options in the hope of finding a solution that might satisfy both the interests of the WI Membership and the local Community, and this request was initially granted. However, the Parish Council was informed at the end of March that the Afternoon WI was set upon selling the hall, and so there seemed little point in holding the meeting to look at other options, so it was cancelled.
A Community Hall Group was set up on 6th April 2006 which hopes to work with the Parish Council in whatever ensues, and subsequent meetings were planned for 7th April and 20th April 2006. At the 11th April 2006 Parish Council meeting it was agreed to make contact again with the WI to plead for a face-to-face meeting, to look at what other options there may be to selling the hall - this plea has been answered with a meeting now set for 11th May. The Parish Council met with the Community Hall Group on 2nd May, which proved to be a worthwhile time together. This was just to exchange views and to make sure each was aware of the other's position.The 11th May meeting with the Afternoon WI took place as planned, and it proved to be a worthwhile visit and the atmosphere was very positive on the whole. The Parish Council's proposals were well received, and this was followed by an industrious question and answer time! The members considered their response on 13th July 2006 and accepted the principle of leasing their hall to the Parish Council. The Parish Council and the WI have now instructed solicitors to draw up the lease, following agreement of the terms. The Parish Council arranged for a full structural survey of the hall to be carried out on 19th September 2006, and also a Type 2 asbestos survey on 1st November. An early project was to identify a Hall Management Committee, without which this project can progress no further. The Parish Council met with the Community Hall Group again on 27th September 2006 to discuss this very point - this was a good and positive meeting, at which there was a good exchange of information and a 3 members of the Group members committed to serve on the Hall Management Committee bringing the current total to 6. 5 further members were still required, with 2 of these hopefully being filled by current hall user group representatives and 1 from the WI, which would have left 2 vacancies - however, a full committee was eventually formed on 13th February 2007.
A set of draft terms of reference for the Hall management Committee and a constitution for achieving charitable status was approved by the Parish Council on 10th October 2006 - the charity will be known as the Gurnard Village Hall Association. The Rural Community Council in Newport staged a Hall Management training session on 23/11/06, and several of the volunteers connected with this project attended. Towards the end of November 2006, the Parish Council's solicitors informed the Parish Council that land registration problems had now been resolved, and the lease arrangements were progressing. The Parish Council met with its solicitors in January 2007 to work through the details of the WI proposed lease agreement - there were a few points to clarify - these are being ironed out and it is hoped to have something to work with by May 2007. A meeting was arranged with the Rural Community Council for Monday 2nd April 2007 with the management committee members, to have Trusteeship explained and the 1st Management Committee meeting has been arranged for 30/4/07
Subsequent meetingswere held, and the lease of the hall began on 1st September 2007. The Management Committee marked the event with an official handover ceremony on Saturday 8th September, to which about 100 people were invited. With the legal situation sorted and Gurnard Village Hall Association up and running, the future of the hall seems safe for the forseeable future.