Youth Centre | Sway Parish Council

The future of the Sway Youth Centre

Please check this page for updates on the latest progress of the Youth Centre Future working group. For any queries, please contact the working group at ycfuture@sway-pc.gov.uk

Working Group: Cllr Neil McLocklin, Cllr Astrid Clifford, Cllr Alan Perry, Cllr Mike Butler

Joint Working Group update

The joint working group (with representatives of the PCC, SPC, Diocese and residents) met on Wednesday 25 February to review the current position and consider next steps for the future of the Youth Centre. Members toured the building and discussed user needs alongside the associated compliance challenges.

Following a productive discussion, the group agreed to explore a new governance model through the establishment of a new, separate entity. The aim of this entity would be to ensure that the Church's Christian charitable objectives, and the needs of community groups and residents are all appropriately incorporated.

The group is now reviewing governance models that have successfully supported community buildings in other parishes. Reaching agreement on a preferred model will enable progress towards negotiating a long lease and developing a renewed vision for the Youth Centre.

The next meeting of the joint working group will take place on Thursday 12 March.

Statement to Residents, February 2026

Sway PC acknowledges the following statement published by the Parochial Church Council at St Luke’s.

The PC continues to work tirelessly to find a solution for the future of the Youth Centre which will satisfy both the Church’s mission and the aspirations of the residents of Sway.

Our working group looks forward to meeting with the PCC working group to find a collaborative way forward. Communications from the joint working group will be published regularly to keep all residents up to date on progress.

Members of the Sway PC working group are Cllr Neil McLocklin, Cllr Astrid Clifford, Cllr Alan Perry and Cllr Mike Butler. If you have any questions or comments for the Parish Council working group please contact: ycfuture@sway-pc.gov.uk

Dear Friends,

We know there have been some questions and anxiety recently about the future of the Church Land and the Youth Centre, so we wanted to share a clear and reassuring update.

The Youth Centre building is not under threat. The PCC remains fully committed to supporting the building and all of its users, both now and in the long term, as we see this as one of the ways we try and live out our Christian calling o serve and bless the village.

As previously communicated, we can confirm that there are no plans to demolish the building. We remain firmly committed to its continued use as a community facility serving the village.

Although the Parish Council's current lease ends in July 2029, this will not affect the continuation of activities. If new arrangements are not finalised by then, the building will remain open and continue to operate as it does now, with the church ensuring that is supported and available for community use just as it does with the church rooms and the church.

There are no plans to sell the land for residential development. Our commitment is to long term community use and we are working closely and positively with the Parish Council to explore the best way to do this.

Following recent discussions, the PCC have agreed to form a joint working group suggesting equal representation from the PCC and the Parish Council. The PCC will be represented by Peter Blick, Russell Fry, Janet Kirk, and Jane Mitchell.

The purpose of the working group is to agree how both councils will work together going forward, including shared communications, residents' meetings, and regular monthly updates to keep the whole village informed. Draft aims and objectives have been received, and these will be discussed and finalised at the first meeting, along with agreeing a timeline, future meeting dates and the way ahead.

As the land is held in trust by the Diocesan Board of Finance for the PCC, Reverend Simon Butler has offered to attend meetings as a visitor, representing the Diocese, to support discussions and help ensure constructive progress as the terms of reference are agreed.

If you have any questions or would like to talk more, please do get in touch - we are always glad to chat.

Jane, Peter, Janet and Russell.
PCC working group: Jane Mitchell, Russell Fry, Peter Blick, Janet Kirk Contact via St Luke’s Church Office 01590 682358 office@swaychurch.com

Statement to Residents, October 2025

Public Announcement - Future of the Youth Centre

Further to the announcements made by St Luke's Parochial Church Council (SPCC) on the Church Youth Centre Land, Sway Parish Council (SPC) would like to clarify our position.

SPC strongly supports the continued presence of a community building on the site, at the heart of the village. Our lease of the land comes to an end in 2029; in recent years this has affected our ability to invest appropriately in the building which we feel is no longer fit for purpose. As you will be aware, we have been keen to ensure that the views of the wider community are considered in any decisions made, and we therefore held a joint resident engagement event and exhibition earlier this year. We presented two options for the Youth Centre building, both of which involved acquiring the freehold or a long leasehold interest in the land, so that we could enhance/extend the existing building or replace it, with the aim of creating a financially and environmentally sustainable multi-generational community centre that would enhance the aesthetic of the village.

SPCC has instead proposed a new 10-year lease of the land, currently without defining any detail or specific terms. This short-term lease will be a liability for SPC, rather than an asset, which means it will not be possible to raise grants or Public Works Funding. Any expenditure on the building would have to be paid for by taxpayers, with no asset to show at the end of the ten years. The likely consequence is that there will be no significant functional, aesthetic or environmental improvements to the building over the period. In particular, we are concerned that the issues raised by the youth of the village in the initial consultation will not be addressed in any way.

Notwithstanding our reservations as outlined above, and in the interests of co-operating with SPCC to move this forward, we have written to them this week with the terms under which we feel that, if supported/preferred by the residents of Sway, a new 10-year lease could be considered. We have also presented another option. We have requested a meeting with the PCC to discuss this in detail, and we will share the outcome of these discussions and any other updates as soon as possible.

2025 Village Consultation

📆 9th April

📍 St Luke's Church

🕖 7-8pm

A presentation of the options; hear feedback on the responses received from residents who attended the exhibition; an opportunity to meet and hear from the architects (PadStudio); plus Q&A session.

EXHIBITION AND ONLINE SURVEY

The exhibition and survey have now been closed. Please come along to the open event on 9th April, to find out the results and take part in a Q&A with the Parish Council and St Luke's Church representatives.

The future of the Sway Youth Centre

(Mon, Tue, Thur 10 am-12 noon)​Parish Office, Jubilee Field Pavilion​Station Road, Sway SO41 6BE

(Mon, Tue, Thur 10 am-12 noon)
Parish Office, Jubilee Field Pavilion
Station Road, Sway SO41 6BE