The Long Riston Playing Fields Committee (PFC) have prepared this response following the Parish Council’s statement on 2 December 2025 regarding the future of the village hall. Both statements can be found on the Parish Council website or requested via

longristonpfc@gmail.com

The PFC is fully committed to protecting the future of Long Riston’s village hall. To support this, we offered to broker a lease agreement that would allow the Parish Council (PC) to continue managing the hall, as they have done since 1991. This offer has been declined by the PC.

We also proposed an alternative solution: the creation of an independent Village Hall Committee to take responsibility for managing the hall. Although the PC has overseen the hall since 1991, they have stated that they will not lead this process. The PFC is willing to support the establishment of such a committee, but must remain focused on our core purpose: the management and improvement of the village’s play and sports facilities.

We are aware of a group of residents interested in forming a Village Hall Committee. We encourage them to progress this by arranging an initial meeting with both the Parish Council and the PFC.

We also invite all residents who are concerned about the future of the village hall to contact the Parish Council directly and request that they reconsider their current position.

If a resolution cannot be found, the hall will be closed on the 31st March 2026.

Key Facts

• The Parish Council has not consulted with the PFC about their intentions for the village hall.

• The PC has not shared any legal advice or relevant trust documents with the PFC.

• The PFC has never had responsibility for the village hall.

• The village hall did not exist when the playing field land was gifted or when the PFC constitution was written (1954).

• The original wooden hall was established and funded by the Women’s Institute.

• Parish Council minutes confirm that the current hall was planned and built by the PC.

• The PFC does not have the capacity to manage the hall. We are currently leading a £60,000 refurbishment project for the MUGA, which requires significant volunteer time and fundraising work.

• Archive records confirm that the PC agreed in 1991 to take responsibility for the hall and to use precept funding to do so after the former hall committee closed.

• As of April 2023, the Parish Council held £34,890.20 in reserves, a sum raised by the previous council for village hall refurbishment.

• The PFC is a highly successful fundraising organisation. The current approach taken by the Parish Council risks undermining our ability to deliver vital community facilities.

  The Trustees
  Long Riston Playing Fields Committee (Charity No. 523268)