Feasibility study conducted by: CDG, Pill Box, Church St, Newport, NP20 2BY Tel: 01633 250271 Fax: 01633 221985    

Email: cdg@communitydesign.demon.co.uk   Web: www.communitydesign.demon.co.uk

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Future of the Hall   back  return to top of page

Options Analysis
The Church Hall Committee first of all looked into the feasibility of knocking down the church hall and rebuilding it, however the costs were so prohibitive they decided to review their existing accommodation and see how this could be improved to provide them with the up to date facility they require. Spurred on by a Rhondda Leader article about O Tin Tabernacles: Corrugated Mission Halls¹ by Ian Smith, they were further convinced of the refurbishment option as it has proved so successful in other areas, and plans have been drawn up which will provide the hall with 

• new office / meeting space,

• a new kitchen and tea bar directly off the hall,

• new toilets with disabled wc and baby changing facility

• disabled access to stage

• additional storage facilities for different groups

• new entrance lobby

• new windows and cladding

• general upgrading of services

The plans and budget cost estimate are provided in a separate report provided by the Architect, however the overall cost of the project is: as follows:

• Building work    160,100.00

• professional fees    15,000.00 (architectural, quantity surveying & planning supervisor)

• Local Authority fees approx    2,000.00

total cost    177,100.00
plus VAT @ 17.5%    31,000.00
total project cost    208,100.00

Feasibility of Refurbished Hall   back  return to top of page

At present the Committee does not separate the running costs of the Hall and Church, thus the total cost of running them is:
(figures from accounts at Dec 2003 plus notional 3% increase for inflation - see appendix 2)

• light and heat    680.00

• insurances    350.00

• Repairs and renewals    300.00

• water rates    50.00

• fire extinguisher maint.    50.00

• total    1430.00

However: the Income derived from letting the Hall and Vestry amounts to:

• WI        360.00

• Band    150.00

• war games club    1200.00

• spotlight theatre    50.00

• yoga    90.00

• total    1850.00

Obviously the Hall is holding its own in terms of routine running costs. At present the hall rental is £5.00 per hour - if all groups were charged this then the following rental could be generated which demonstrates that it could quite easily generate enough to support a small sinking fund for future repairs.

• WI     monthly    120.00

• Rainbows     weekly    420.00

• Girls Friendly Society     weekly    420.00

• War games Club     weekly    420.00

• Brass Band Rehearsals     occasionally    60.00

• Tap Dance Class     weekly    420.00

• Yoga     weekly during school holidays    130.00

• Spotlight Theatre Group     rehearsals for 4-5 per year    200.00

also occasionally:

• Polling Station, Fundraisers for Cancer Research,    100.00

• Rhondda Civic AGM, Civic Society, Labour Party Women, Church groups - MU, meetings         500.00
  total        2,790.00

Church Groups pay no rent at present, the above assumes that the church continues to underwrite Orental¹ for them.

Conclusions   back  return to top of page

The Committee accepts that the hall needs to be used more widely - particularly during the day - and that it needs to develop a sinking fund in order to maintain the building in the future.  Raising the rental to £6 per hour or £12 - £15 per session and doubling the use of the hall would allow them to not only provide a good facility, but to invest £3000.00 per year in a sinking fund.

Clearly the hall committee is well equipped and experienced enough to manage the running of the hall and the church, and has managed to do so for many years. However opening its doors to the wider community and inviting partners and representatives of user groups on to it, would give mean a larger volunteer base for fundraising and developing the potential of the hall.


Recommendations   back  return to top of page

The aim of the Committee should be to at least cover the running costs of the Hall and generate a surplus towards a sinking fund for building maintenance - this means reviewing running costs v. charging costs.

In order to do this, the Church Hall Committee needs to ensure that the accounts for the Church itself and the Church Hall are kept separate.

The Church Hall Committee should consider widening its base to include representatives from other user groups.

The Committee needs to promote the facilities more widely to ensure that the hall is used more and accommodates a range of local services which support gaps in provision as suggested above.


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Next Steps   back  return to top of page

The next step is to identify appropriate funding sources for this type of project.  

For example  The Big Lottery is an option, as is the Welsh Assembly¹s Community Facilities and Activities fund. There may be Objective 1 funding available, as well as Coalfield Regeneration Trust monies,.
 
There are other Trusts who give smaller amounts of money for different things and a session with the Funderfinder or Grantfinder computer database (at Interlink) might be a useful exercise. There is a short list appended to this report.

Professional Services
Once funding has been secured it will be necessary to formally appoint the design team - in fact it might be advisable to do this earlier rather than later, as professional help may be required to answer queries from funders during the assessment stages.

If all the work is to be done at once, then an Architect and Quantity Surveyor will be required to pull together the tender package.  A structural engineer may be needed to advise that  the foundations, roof etc are to standard and a specification for the mechanical and electrical work will be obtained from a suitably qualified professional..

The Development of the Project   back  return to top of page

Design Stage
The plan has been agreed and the drawings are at a detailed enough stage to obtain planning permission and to develop a cost estimate to the appropriate standard. Planning Permission should be obtained immediately to help progress the project with funders.

Detail Design
Building Regulations will need to be obtained - again this will require the payment of a fee to the Local Authority when the plans are submitted and again when the project first starts on site. It shouldn¹t be necessary to do this until full funding for the project has been secured.

Specification and Working Drawings
Bills of quantities and documents will need to be prepared to enable the project to be sent out to tender. A tender list will be drawn up in consultation with the client group of at least five local contractors.

Funders will require that all expenditure is professionally certified before they will release any monies, therefore once the tender is let, a programme will be agreed with the contractor and the contract administered by an Architect or similarly qualified professional. This will ensure that the building is built to the correct standards and within the agreed timescale.

November 2004

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