Groups to go on hunger strike to save centre

Published on Monday 20 April 2009 10:04

GROUPS using a community centre which should have shut its doors last month have threatened to stage a hunger strike in a last-ditch bid to stay.

The lease held by the Capacity Building Project (CBP) for the Craigmillar Settlement came to an end on March 31.

Edinburgh City Council needs the building for social work offices and is looking at legal options.

But groups using the centre have insisted they will not leave, telling an emotive meeting they are prepared to stage a sit-in at the Niddrie Mains Terrace building and even go on hunger strike.

David Walker, secretary of the CBP, which has managed the building since 2002, said: "This meeting was to allow the council the opportunity to hear what people have to say. It was an opportunity to demonstrate the level of opposition to these proposals."

Around 30 people turned up for the meeting, although council officers declined an invitation to attend and local councillors said they had not been invited.

Huseyin Demir, from the Union of Turkish and Kurdish Refugee Families, said: "We have been here three years. If they want to take us out we are going to get all our people and stay. We are going to start a hunger strike."

Mr Walker added: "We have told the council our position, that we can't vacate the building and we have a responsibility to the groups that use this. We have also been taking legal advice."

The centre is used by several organisations, including the East Edinburgh Muslim Forum, Aberlour Outreach Edinburgh, which works with children and families dealing with substance abuse, and JSP Scotland, which offers support for people with spinal and head injuries.

However, Craigmillar Community Council secretary Terry Tweed said the CBP was acting in its own interests rather than that of the community.

He said Edinburgh City Council had given assurances that alternative facilities are being sought for the community groups affected and everyone in the area has access to the Jack Kane Centre and other local facilities.

He added: "The wider community have all but abandoned the building because of CBP.

"CBP are definitely out on their ear but they will string it out as long as possible. They are there to help the community but they were helping CBP."

Funding for CBP was withdrawn last year and a final payment made for winding-up costs.

The city council has agreed to house social workers in the building until a new Craigmillar neighbourhood office is built as part of regeneration plans.

A council spokesman said: "As the former leaseholders have not yet vacated the building, this matter is now with our legal services division."

Edinburgh East MP Gavin Strang said:

"This is an asset for the community. I don't see any benefit for using this as temporary accommodation for council officers. We have got to be resolute in our opposition to it."

Shami Khan, chair of Edinburgh and Lothians Racial Equality Council, told the meeting: "You should raise your voices.

"Once you are out from this building, there will be no place for the minority community. This is your place – try to keep it."