Plans Put Forward For ‘Essential’ Community Hub In Heart Of Sandown

An ‘essential’ community hub could be created in the centre of an Isle of Wight seaside town – to support residents.

Sandown Town Council on Monday night (May 18) voted to explore the creation of a facility in a central location to support the development of local groups.

Asked whether the hub would be similar to Aspire Ryde, Mayor Alex Lightfoot said that without committing to offering all the same services, this was the ‘rough idea’.

Aspire Ryde has a broad offering including food support, wellbeing activities, youth and creative programmes, soft play and a community cafe.

Mayor Lightfoot told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS):

“It’s support services…somewhere for people to go, also to try and build a bit more community cohesion.”

Mayor Lightfoot said it was probably too early to say what services he would like to be provided from the hub and it will to an extent be subject to what the Isle of Wight Council are or are not doing.

He said there will likely be further cuts to ‘those sorts of services’ from County Hall.

The councillor told Monday’s meeting:

“In the coming years we’re going to see – unless we see a significant change in the way the world’s going – more and more people needing support.

“I think what is sorely lacking in the Bay…is that hub for accessing that support.

"You’ve got it in Ryde and in Newport…the people that need it the most aren’t necessarily in the best position to be able to travel to go access it.”

Cllr Ian Boyd said:

“I think it’s not just a good idea, it’s an essential idea. I think the level of need is escalating.

“It begins to build capacity in the voluntary sector, in the community sector and if we’re serious – and I think we are – about moving towards community-based regeneration, including Compulsory Purchase, we’re going to need that capacity building work.”

Cllr Tracy Mikich said:

“Everywhere is moving towards this concept of neighbourhood health in which you’re seeing these hybrid hubs appear that can address multiple needs.

“Us getting our own here, where there are multiple needs, is perfect.”