Antrim and Newtownabbey Council counts cost of gazebo hire to the community

A report to the council’s Community Planning Committee which met at Mossley Mill, on Monday evening, says that the local government authority received 146 requests for gazebo loans during 2023/24. The council owns 25 gazebos.

The report states: “If this loan service is to continue, external contractors will be required to deliver and collect the gazebos which would incur a cost of approximately £40,000 in 2024/25 based upon the 2023/24 levels of demand.

“The significant increased levels of use of the council gazebos is significantly reducing the life of these assets. In 2023/24, £3,000 was spent on the replacement of six gazebos.

“Given the current levels of demand and the requirement to engage the services of contractors at cost to meet this demand, it is proposed that the council’s event gazebos are no longer loaned to external organisations. These organisations can be directed to hire companies who provide this service.

“Alternatively, members may wish to consider the continued loan of gazebos, however, this would require the introduction of a hire charge of £50 per gazebo.

“The ongoing free loan of event gazebos to external organisations, including delivery and collection, is no longer sustainable and it is proposed that it be discontinued with immediate effect.”

Commenting on the proposal, Glengormley Alliance Alderman Julian McGrath said: “I would not like to see constituents or community groups having to pay a substantial fee for a get-together.”

Ursula Fay, director of community planning, said that the gazebos had been purchased before the pandemic and initially involved a “loan here and request there” and this increased to 142 requests, mostly from community groups.

“To sustain these loans, we need to introduce a hire charge as a minimum and look at insurance implications. We cannot sustain this. To date, in 2023/24, the cost was £40k which is not in our budget.

“We do not roll out equipment, it is not what we are here for. It is something that has crept in. Groups are asking us to borrow this equipment. We can’t continue to do it without any charge. We can’t continue to do it the way we have been doing it.”

Antrim DUP Councillor Paul Dunlop BEM asked for the matter to be deferred until the next committee meeting, going on to say there is “more conversation needed”.

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Antrim Alliance Cllr Neil Kelly commented: “Obviously they are very popular. People want to use them. I would like to see the report coming back.”

Macedon Alliance Cllr Billy Webb stated: “We have drifted into a loss-making business in relation to these gazebos. There are companies that supply these for £120.”

Glengormley Sinn Fein Cllr Michael Goodman remarked: “This sort of cost would destroy a lot of community groups.”

The item was deferred until next month’s Community Planning meeting.

Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter