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ePetition details
The Old School, Dudley Road
The Old School is a historic complex of buildings, built in
1873, and is the only remaining example of the Board Schools set up
by the Council at the start of state education.
BACF has been managing the premises since June 2013. The Old School
has over 30 regular user groups, including 5 local small
businesses, and a wide variety of groups supporting children, young
people, women, the elderly and those with disabilities, including
an Autism group, and a regular disco for young people with special
needs. On a Sunday, it hosts faith groups from various parts of
Africa, the Caribbean, the Philippines. It also hosts a jobclub,
and training and employability programmes as part of the City
Council’s Learning Communities initiative.
Around 900 people per week make use of the Old School for their
activities.
Over the past five years BACF has taken a number of steps to
improve the premises, and to prevent further deterioration. These
have included :
- removal of asbestos
- dealing with pigeon infestation to the upper floor of the main
building
- sealing off the upper floor to ensure that no-one has
access
- upgrading toilets
- maintaining and upgrading fire safety precautions, including new
exit signs
- new boiler for the kitchen
- repairs to the central heating and to the flat roof in the
Aspiring Futures unit
- redecoration of the Community Centre building and the large hall
in the main building
- new flooring and carpeting to the reception area and
offices
- rebuilding the front wall and gate damaged by a vehicle
accident
- improved signage.
The Fire Risk Assessments carried out by Jacobs in March 2018 noted
that "there have been marked improvements made which have not
involved any significant capital outlay. There is a determination
among the volunteers to continue the improvements however future
major improvements in fire safety systems are dependent on
obtaining funding.”
The report listed a number of recommended actions, and stated that
implementation of these actions will help to reduce the overall
grading, which for the Community Centre building is LOW to MEDIUM.
Since then, many of the recommendations have been carried out by
BACF, except of course the installation of a new fire alarm
system.
The Council’s action in giving just 28 days notice to vacate
the premises is unreasonable, and will lead to the loss of a vital
community facility in one of Wolverhampton’s most diverse and
most deprived wards.
BACF has been in ongoing discussions with relevant Council
officers, and proposed that we should concentrate on the standalone
Community Centre building, where over 90% of the activity takes
place. The cost of bringing this building into full compliance with
fire safety standards is not great, and will save the Council the
expense of boarding up and securing the building, while maintaining
a vital community facility serving the diverse community of
Blakenhall. So far our proposal has not been accepted by
CWC.
Started by: Vikas Chopra (Blakenhall Action Community Forum {BACF])
This ePetition ran from 18/10/2018 to 17/11/2018 and has now finished.
Nobody signed this ePetition.