A GROUP working on taking responsibility for running a key Bradford Council owned public facility in Oakworth hopes to achieve this by the start of April.

Oakworth Community Trust intends to take over Holden Hall on the basis of a Community Asset Transfer (CAT). This would involve securing the property on a long-term lease from the council.

Trust secretary Martin van der Boon said: “The CAT is progressing well. It has all the required internal approvals with Bradford Council and is now with the council solicitor to draft the lease.

“The trust has engaged a solicitor to handle its completion on our part, and we’re still working to a date of April 1 or 2 for it to become effective.

“While that’s been going on we agreed with the council that we would manage bookings for the hall from January 1 this year. So we’ve been doing that to make sure our booking systems are up to speed before the CAT date.”

As reported last year, Holden Hall is among a number of public buildings in the district that Bradford Council wants community groups to take on in order to save the district council money.

City Hall bosses previously warned that if no-one came forward, the hall would have to shut.

As well as the asset transfer, Oakworth Community Trust hopes to be able to modernise the hall.

It has been raising cash to fund work such as a building survey and architects’ plans, as well as arranging entertainment.

Mr van der Boon said the community trust held three non-fundraising events last December, including a “Festive Great Get Together” which was a lunch for people who may be isolated in the community, a children’s Christmas party and a family New Year’s party.

He added: “All of these events were a great success. We’ve even had people ask when tickets for this New Year’s party go on sale.

“From a fundraising point we held an ‘80s night a couple of weeks ago. It was a sell-out and the trust raised about £1,500 toward our Holden Hall modernisation plans.

“Our next fundraiser will be the return of the Gin Festival on March 9 and 10. The Saturday night is already a sell-out but we still have some tickets for the Friday.

“We’ve four further events planned to take us into the summer, with details to be confirmed.

“Our support base is growing, with more people joining the trust volunteer group. Hopefully we’ll get additional trustees also.

“We have a volunteer page on our website at oakworthcommunitytrust.org.uk/ where we list things we need doing and people can sign up there.”