Signs of a Happy New Year for Molescroft Scouts and Cadets

There was a Christmas boost last week for the Molescroft Scouts and air cadets in their efforts to get the Council to help them find new HQ buildings.

Earlier last month both groups received notice from the Council to quit their existing buildings from the end of 2019 at Longcroft Lower school, to make way for a new housing development after the current lower school has been demolished.

The scouts and cadets, have occupied their existing buildings at the site since the mid 1970s.

That move unleashed a wave of local support in November, with 5000 on line signatures raised within a week calling on the Council not to abandon the scouts and cadets, and local ward councillor, Denis Healy, promising to do his best to intervene with the Council to try and get them to help.

Cllr Healy said:

“I was able to set up a meeting at the end of November with the Council’s Chief Executive and Director of Planning & Regeneration. The Chairman and Vice Chairman of Molescroft Parish Council also attended. It was clear from that meeting that the senior council officers were willing to do what they could for the scouts and cadets, including working with Longcroft School to find a new site for their HQ buildings in the grounds of the re developed school, on Burton Road. They also said that they would investigate whether any financial support could be found.

“Then, in the week before Christmas, the news came through that Longcroft School is happy to explore the idea of using land at the upper school site for the new HQ buildings. The Council also confirmed that they have identified a budget, initially in the region of £150,000, for the provision of two new modular buildings at this location to complement resources that the scouts and cadets are putting in themselves. The Council will also cover the cost of removing the old buildings and will ensure that services to the new buildings are properly functioning.

“There is also a pot of money called Commuted Sums, which is money paid by house developers, and I am hopeful that I can help the scouts and cadets tap into some of that, as I have done for other worthy groups in the town.

“This is great news, coming when it does at Christmas time, but there is still a lot of work to be done to make it all happen in 2019, including planning applications, as this will all be subject to the normal planning process. I am very pleased that the Council are listening to the Scouts and Cadets, and are working positively with them to resolve the issue of having new homes to move into this coming year.”

1st Molescroft Scout leader, Andrew Sharpe said:

“We are encouraged about the future after our latest meeting with ERYC. We have moved a long way in just over 5 weeks and we go into the New Year more hopeful of a positive outcome. We look forward to having further discussions with the Council in the New Year.

Councillor Healy continues to be supportive of our plight and has said he will guide us in an application for commuted sums to bring any facilities we get up yo standard. We thank him for his significant support for us.”