By Sarah Newstead

Last updated 09:29, Friday, 10 October 2008

A trail blazing scheme to hand over Wigton’s £1.2 million Market Hall to the community has been formally approved in a bid to put residents in control of local assets.

In the first scheme of its kind in the country, Allerdale Council’s executive committee this week recommended the transfer of Wigton Market Hall and Wigton Community Centre to the North Allerdale Development Trust (NADT).

Deputy leader councillor Margaret Jackson said: “It has taken a long time to reach this point but thanks to the hard work and dedication of everyone involved – not least our Wigton councillors – it has come to fruition.

“I would like to congratulate everyone for their determination, support and effort – they can now look forward to some exciting times ahead.”

Executive members recommended the transfer of the council-owned buildings to the trust on a 99-year lease for a peppercorn rent.

The scheme could create up to nine new jobs over the next three years.

The move came as a £735,000 big lottery funding bid for the second stage the hall’s refurbishment hinged on the transfer to the NADT.

The hall has already been extended at a cost of over £500,000 funded by North Allerdale Partnership (NAP) through the Market Town Initiative and Allerdale Council.

The hall will be handed over to the NADT by late 2010 providing it is sufficiently capable of holding the assets in trust for the Council and its members have been trained to manage them effectively.

Wigton’s Community Centre is expected to transfer to the NADT in March 2009.

The trust, formed of people local to Silloth, Wigton and Aspatria, will be responsible for future maintenance costs, along with the running, letting and public use of the buildings.

It is expected the facilities would be self sustaining and any funds cleared would be ploughed back into North Allerdale communities.

Denise Raper of NAP said: “The trust are really pleased that the council have agreed in principle - it’s exciting times for the trust.”

Current trustees are: Gerald Sewell, former chairman of NAP and Aspatria representative; Graham Wilkinson, of the Silloth Regeneration Partnership; Elaine Lynch, chairwoman a Wigton teacher and councillor; Len Baisley, a retired businessman; Don Graham, of the Chamber of Commerce; Alan Clouston, a retired headteacher from Aspatria; David Wilson, of Aspatria town council; Bill James, Silloth resident; Trevor Gear, Mayor of Aspatria; Duncan Fairbairn, rural representative.

It is expected NAP will hand over to NADT on October 21.