In what may become Reading Borough Council’s Gernfell Towers moment in terms of the community reaction to another Council’s callous response to a poor and underserved segment of its community and blaming austerity for their reckless decision to ignore the community £10M bid in favour of a commercial developer in the name of best value. The diaspora are organised and fighting back.
The Black diaspora of Reading are in dispute with Reading Borough Council (RBC) following their premature termination of their own bidding process for Community Groups/Third Sector Organisations to Bid for the acquisition of the spiritual home of Reading’s black diaspora at the Central Club in Reading. The Facilities was closed down in 2006 after an alleged drugs raid where no one was ever arrested or charged with an offence. The facilities have remained closed since.
The Labour run Council have blamed the Tory government’s austerity programme for their failure to comply with their own Bid process and have further alleged that the black Community [Aspire [Reading] CIC] had not raised £10M investment and had made no offer of a capital receipt to RBC for the Central Club building and site. RBC have consistently challenged Aspire and has asked for a ‘Full waiver’ on the confidentially of their Bid. Aspire have resisted because they do not believe the bidding process is over and the bid and process may become the subject of a Judicial Review. However, to end the controversy and RBC’s misunderstanding, Aspire Board has revealed and explained the bid to key community leaders including the investment of £10M raised by the community for the site and the offer made to RBC for the land and buildings.
Aspire CIC is a Community Interest Company formed by the Caribbean Associations Group to be the legal entity that represents and acts on behalf of Reading’s African Caribbean community associated to the Central Club building and site.
The Caribbean Associations Group is the coordinating umbrella organization for The Jamaica Society Friends, the Barbados Friends Association and the St Vincent Grenadines Association. Aspire raised £10Million to fund their compelling bid to acquire and develop the Central Club site in Reading. The bid has the backing of 20 Reading based community groups.
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