Health and safety hazards temporarily close community centre

Health & Safety update 31/01/2012

A Durham community centre has been closed down temporarily by its local authority, after it was determined that the building posed serious health and safety risks.

Visiting health and safety officials found that the Sherburn Hill Community Centre posed a number of dangers and health risks to people using it, and closed it down following their visit on Friday.

All groups that have been using the centre are now scrambling to find alternative venues for their meetings, while the centre’s management team is working to try to start addressing the problems.

Management committee member, David Hall, told the Northern Echo newspaper that they are trying to establish a long-term plan for the centre that will keep it viable.

He explained, “We know the building needs money spent on it and we have been working [...] to put together a long-term business plan that will show what refurbishment is needed, the costs involved and the sustainability of the building.”

Sherburn Liberal Democrat councillor, Carol Woods said, “It’s right that the county council closes the centre if it’s a risk because it’s not acceptable to have leisure activities in a building which is unsafe.”

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