At its Full Council meeting on 15 December, Witney Town Council agreed that the preferred way to operate the new Windrush Place Pavilion and football pitches is through a Community Trust.
This decision follows careful consideration by Councillors and Officers into how the facilities can be run in a sustainable and community-focused way once they are transferred to the Council by the developers next spring.
Under this model, the Community Trust would manage the facilities day to day for the benefit of the wider community. This would help increase how often the pavilion and pitches are used, widen the range of activities and bookings, and make sure the facilities are well maintained and meet the needs of those who use them.
Involving local people in running the facilities helps build a sense of shared ownership and supports their long-term success. It also allows for a more flexible and responsive approach to community use, encouraging more people to take part in sport, health, and wellbeing activities.
The Council also considered the long-term cost of running the pavilion and pitches directly, and the impact this could have on future council tax levels. By agreeing to a Community Trust model, administration and operating costs are not passed on to Witney residents through council tax. This avoids an estimated £10 per Band D property being added to council tax, helping the Council limit increases and pass savings on to local households.
The Council is keen to manage public finances responsibly while still delivering high-quality new community facilities. By making the pavilion and pitches easier to access and more community-focused, the proposal offers better value for residents and supports increased participation in sport and community activity.
The pavilion and pitches will remain publicly owned, with the Council retaining oversight through formal agreements and representation within the Community Trust.
This approach is not new to Witney. A similar Community Trust has operated Madley Park Hall, a Council-owned facility to the north of the town, since 2011. It was established for the same reasons: to protect community access, support long-term sustainability, and limit the impact on council tax while retaining Council ownership and oversight.
The proposal to operate the pavilion through a Community Trust followed an approach from Witney Town Football Club, who expressed interest in a long-term community partnership at Windrush Place. The facilities would be run by a separate Community Trust, not the Football Club itself, ensuring open access for a wide range of users and activities.
Cllr Ruth Smith commented,
“We have always said that this facility will be run at the heart of the Windrush Place Community, with the pavilion room available for small groups and classes and the long-awaited adult pitches that addresses some of Witney’s football pitch needs. We thought it would be directly run by the council but the proposal under negotiation actually achieved this and more with a vision for community growth and sporting enthusiasm and sporting sources of running costs. This model should get more excitement and collaboration from facility users than the council can achieve on its own.
It will be a thriving community centre, with excellent sport.”