A Barrhead charity is hoping to secure its future by taking over four industrial estate units from the council at a £1 rent.
Barrhead Men’s Shed wants a long-term lease for the units so it can continue offering community woodwork, craft and creative space to local people.
Councillors will be asked to decide whether to approve renting out the Robertson Street site at a peppercorn rate when they meet on Thursday.
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The move has been proposed after the charity wrote to the council in 2019, seeking a long-term lease, as funding from the National Lottery would come to an end this year.
It has been using the units since 2016 at a rent of around £10,000 per year.
In the letter, the charity said the shed is “an important part of our members’ lives and any threat of closure is a major source of anxiety.”
“We need a long lease to remove that threat; provide the security that will enable us to invest in facilities beyond the workshop that we currently provide; and allow us confidently to publicise our offering to attract others in need of our services.”
Members of East Renfrewshire’s cabinet will also be asked to decide on the length of the lease if they agree the proposal can go ahead. The charity has requested a 25-year agreement.
Currently, the group’s running costs are covered by grants, donations and income from the sale of members’ work, council officials have reported. It is expected the group will use income to cover all operational costs in the future.
Officials looked into how much could be raised if the units were let on the open market and have reported the figure could be between £22,400 and £25,940 per year.
However, they added the charity’s activities “promote and improve social wellbeing and work towards environmental wellbeing in their repurposing and upcycling in the local area.”
A report said: “They offer opportunities to males and females to socialise in a safe space, to learn a new skill or share knowledge and expertise and give back to the community by building planters, wooden trains, bird boxes to name a few.
“We understand there is no other dedicated community space offering this provision in the Barrhead area.”
The report added: “The Barrhead Men’s Shed has a long standing history of delivering services in Barrhead. Their membership is broad with 60 active members; they have an active and effective committee with a wealth of skills and knowledge.”
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