VILLAGE HALLS

Early day motion 62, tabled 13 November 2002 by James Gray (Conservative). Signed by 74 members.

That this House calls upon the Government to assist England's rural communities threatened by the prospect of derelict village halls, as a consequence of reduced funding by the national Lottery's Community Fund and other organisations; recognises that compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 has compounded the deficit facing community halls and villages, resulting in the threat of closure and community damage; recognises the value and importance of rural regeneration; and supports the proposals by Action with Communities in Rural England to amend the guidelines to the Community Fund so as to make support for village halls a priority, and to prevent the biggest share of lottery money being used to finance programmes which should be the responsibility of Central Government.

Signatures by party: Conservative 58, Liberal Democrat 12, DUP 1, Independent Conservative 1, Labour 1, UUP 1.