Negotiations to begin on letting of Easterhouse Sports Centre to community partnership

A community sports partnership in Easterhouse could soon be taking a lease on Easterhouse Sports Centre, allowing them to run and manage the facility, after a Glasgow City Council approved the beginning of negotiations on the off-market letting of the centre.

The Easterhouse Community Sports Hub Partnership (ECSHP) consists of three charitable organisations: Basketball Scotland, The Phoenix Centre and Easterhouse Community Sport Hub, with the latter two active in the local community for over a decade. The partnership - which has experience in reopening and managing community sports facilities - aims to deliver positive change and provide inclusive and affordable opportunities to participate in basketball and a range of other physical activities for the Easterhouse community.

This letting would take place as part of the People Make Glasgow Communities Programme, through which local people, community groups, third sector and other organisations can express an interest in greater involvement in the management of local venues.

The Sports Centre is a Glasgow City Council building, currently occupied by Glasgow Life and featuring two sports halls, a general-purpose meeting room, changing facilities, toilets, a gym and various office spaces.

A new trading subsidiary will be created by ECSHP, and this is also likely to be a charitable organisation, with the following aims: the provision of recreational facilities; the advancement of public participation in sport; the advancement of health; the prevention or relief of poverty; the advancement of education; the advancement of citizenship or community development; the promotion of equality and diversity and the relief of those in need of those in ill health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage.

Following engagement by ECSHP with over 500 of their service users, it was found that there was very strong support for their proposal to run the facility for the Easterhouse community.

Councillor Ruairi Kelly, convener for Neighbourhood Assets at Glasgow City Council, said: "The plan put forward by the partnership and the experience of the members involved fills me with confidence that better days are indeed ahead for Easterhouse Sports Centre.  Supporting community organisations to take a lead on the management of local assets has enabled greater investment and better service deliver for local people and I look forward to working with the partnership to deliver for the people of Easterhouse."