Thurrock Council has confirmed funding for a new Aveley 'Community Hub'.

The hub is part of the council's plan to roll out community hubs across Thurrock.

The new hub will run from the Aveley Youth and Community Centre and the library, then move to a special, purpose-built building.

Working together on the proposals were Aveley Village Community Forum and the council.

Community Hubs provide access points to local services such as police, fire, housing and social services in one location.

The moves to finalise plans for the hub were discussed at the cabinet meeting of 11 March on 'The future shape of libraries.'

Alan Field, chair of the Aveley Village Community Forum, said: “We are proud to be a partner in the Aveley Community Hub Partnership and pleased the plan for a new centre is making a real step forward.

“We will continue to work with our partners to bring the centre and the new and improved facilities called for by villagers to a fruitful conclusion as soon as possible.

“Aveley has been waiting a long time for a community building it can be proud of - I'm pleased that that ambition is closer to being realised.”

Portfolio holder for communities, Councillor Richard Speight said: “We have worked incredibly hard to secure the support of local people and local organisations in Aveley to make sure our latest hub gets up and running.

“To start with it will be run from the Aveley Youth and Community Centre and the library while we work on the new building.

“Once the new building is ready the two centres will merge and the library will be moved into the hub so it will be able to offer a much wider range of services over longer hours.”

However, he emphasised that while the new building was being built, “the community hub will still offer its support to other local groups.”

He added that during the course of 2015/16 the council would look at an option to see Aveley Forum managing the current library building and using the building more flexibly in the short term to generate income to cover running costs.

More details available at: http://bit.ly/1FAeRb6