On 31st March 2010 The Community North Forum Board announced that unless they could raise substantial funds in the next 3 months they will have to cease trading on 30th June. The lease for the Old Firth Park Library will go back to the city council and it is expected that remaining tenants in the building will pay their rents direct to the SCC from 30th June. CNF are not sure what will happen to the resource centre at 19 Bellhouse Road. The CNF Board would like to thank everyone who has expressed their support throughout these difficult times and they will issue further statements should the situation change.
Keith Hall, Chair of CNF explained that CNF failed to secure any core grant funding for 2010/11, and a vast reduction in rental income due to anchor tenants leaving the Old Firth Park Library and the significant loss of project funding and management fees caused the financial crisis leading to the imminent closure. Without grant funding to cover the core running costs, the Old Firth Park Library building has become a huge liability for CNF.
Over the past 12 months the CNF Board have successfully managed to deliver a good programme of activities with very limited resources but continuation funding has not been found and this situation cannot be maintained for much longer as reserves are running dangerously low. A CNF Management Group – comprising CNF Directors, Officers and specialists in developing community assets and legal matters – is doing everything possible to try to find the best outcome for the local community. They are exploring all options for retaining community ownership of the Old Library and continuation of many of the services delivered from there such as the Cyber Café, ESOL Classes, Sheffield College courses and accommodation for local groups such as Tradebase Allotments and Firth Park Lunch Club.
Two meetings have taken place with the Councils Community Buildings Team and a large local organisation that has expressed an interest in taking over the running of the Old Library. Realistically,it is highly unlikely that any new arrangements will be agreed before the money runs out.
For any further information, please contact CNF at: Community North Forum
The Old Firth Park Library Firth Park Road Sheffield S5 6WS
t. 0114 243 7906 f. 0114 244 7420 m. 07904 831446 e. ian.wardle@cnfsheffield.org.uk