The fate of 13 community halls in Selwyn is up for debate with all options on the table.

The Selwyn District Council identified the halls as having low use and revenue in 2023, and is preparing to engage communities on their future.

Mayor Lydia Gliddon said it’s an important exercise in how the council can better utilise its halls and community centres.

“Do we need to build new things or use what we already have to be efficient,” she said.

“It’s also about how we can partner better with our community so they can be successful in the spaces they have.

“There are lots of community groups asking for their halls or asking for management.”

The review process will start with the Mead, Tawera, Sheffield, Greenpark and Greendale halls before moving to the remaining eight, the council said.

The details of the project had been discussed at a councillor briefing session last week, where community policy advisor Hannah Eddy outlined to councillors a three-stage engagement process.

After opening conversations and exploring options, the second stage will identify viable ones, and then consult the public through the long-term plan “to gain a clear mandate.”

She stressed the project isn’t about getting rid of halls but to find out “what are the best options and what does the community actually want”.

Potential options include retention, community management, sale to private buyers, or demolition.

Eddy said the state of the buildings will be key, with many needing major upgrades or repairs.

Head of venues and events Catherine Parker said most halls, built in the early 1900s as rural hubs, are now underused and often not fit for purpose.

Parker said all halls will be assessed for recent and required maintenance.

Many had been managed by community committees which were disbanded in 2021, she said.

Councillor Denise Carrick said it felt like the council was preparing to give halls back to the communities which they took them from.

“In the meantime, we haven't maintained them or looked after them and now we're going to give them back. So, I can see that might cause some upset.”

Cr Samuel Wilshire also questioned whether the council was “being reasonable with our maintenance scheduling” and if halls handed back would be “in a fit state.”

Cr Elizabeth Mundt called for “town hall meetings” in each community so people could “have the two-way conversations, ask questions, offload history.”

Gliddon also noted the process will need to consider impacts to the district-wide $175 targeted rate in 2025/26 for the district’s 27 community halls and centres.

She said the communities might resist paying the full targeted rate if they take back ownerships so we will need to consider what is fair.

By Jonathan Leask