ABOUT WEST CALDER COMMUNITY HUB

We know there's been lots of conversation lately about the council's community centre review, and we want to share some important updates about what this means for West Calder Hub – spoiler alert: it's good news!

 

The Building Will Remain Open – With More Local Control Than Ever Before! 🎉

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From 1st April 2026, West Calder Community Education Association SCIO will be taking on a lease for the building. This is an exciting first step toward full community ownership, giving us more flexibility to shape services around what OUR community actually needs, without the restrictions that currently exist.

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The full Community Asset Transfer process will begin in Summer 2026, and we're already exploring funding opportunities to support the legal and associated costs of buying the building.​

 

Yes, There Will Be Changes – And Many of Them Are Positive!

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With the council's funding and staff support ending, we've had to rethink how we do things. But change brings opportunity, and we're embracing this chance to create a sustainable, community-led hub for the long term.

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Here’s what’s happening:

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🕒 Extended Access, Not Reduced Service

Our reception will be staffed Monday-Saturday, 9am-2pm. Outside these hours, we're introducing a secure self-entry system that will give user groups even more flexibility. This modern approach is working brilliantly in other centres across West Lothian and means the building can be used more freely by those who need it.

 

💪 Your Gym, Still Going Strong

The gym continues as normal! We are consulting with the members on a slight increase, with concessions protected: £15 for Seniors and Benefit Users, and just £5 for Young Person membership. We're committed to keeping fitness accessible for everyone.

 

🤝 Community Groups Protected

Room hire costs will remain the same for grassroots community groups. We know how vital these groups are, and we're making sure they're minimally affected.

🍽️‘The Café, Kitchen & Lounge – Re-kindled Partnership, Same Faces

Great news – the café, kitchen and lounge will remain open! Our old partners The Community Development Trust will take over operations and existing current kitchen staff will transfer to be employed by them. This new model will hopefully put the catering on a sustainable footing for years to come. Watch out for updates from the CDT!

 

🛍️ A Tough Decision on the Shop

We won't pretend this one's easy. With funding ending, the Community Shop will close for now. We're genuinely heartbroken about this and know how much it means to you. The good news? We're already looking at alternative models and partnerships to bring it back when the time is right. Watch this space.

What Happens Next?

This lease is a sensible stepping stone. It gives us time to get our operations sustainable while building a compelling case for full community ownership. Once funding is secured and our business plans are ready, it'll be full steam ahead on the asset transfer.

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Come Talk to Us! 🗣️

We know you'll have questions – and we want to answer them all. Join us for a Public Meeting:

 

📅 Thursday 16th April

🕕 6pm

📍 West Calder Hub

 

Our staff and Board of Trustees will be there to chat, listen, and explain everything. This is YOUR community hub, and we're so excited to be taking this next chapter forward – together.​

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