Matterdale Parish Council (MPC) is the sole trustee of Matterdale School Foundation (MSF) and has, for some time, been working on the possibility of providing a new Education and Community Centre in Matterdale. The charity holds substantial assets and the Parish Council is interested in your view of the options available to it for the use of the funds. This survey will help the Parish Council, both as the sole trustee and also as a local authority to come to a decision on how best to proceed. The results are in no way binding. The Survey closes at 17:00 on Friday 12 December 2025.
Why am I being asked my opinion?
You are registered as a voter in the Matterdale Parish Council area and, as such, are likely to contribute to the future funding of the Parish Council through the council tax. If the decision is made that the Education and Community Centre is built then it is expected to be built on part of the recreation field, land owned by the Parish Council, using funds held by Matterdale School Foundation and with some of the funds held by the Parish Council which were given for the purpose. Therefore the survey is open to the people of Matterdale Ward as well as Watermillock Ward. Each Survey is provided with a randomised unique identifier which ensures that only one response per person is collected. This can not be used to identify an individual’s response by Parish Councillors.
You are asked to simply state a preference of option and give any additional comments that you feel are appropriate. You may complete this survey by any of the following methods:
- Returning the form sent by post to the Clerk.
- Clicking the link at the bottom of this page to access the online response form.
Supporting case for a replacement community centre
The objects of the Matterdale School Foundation clearly state that the provision of a replacement community centre is one of the options for the use of the funds and this is specifically mentioned in the powers of the charity.
Matterdale Community Association (MCA) have been asked to produce a business plan for running a replacement community centre and MSF believe that if the community is supportive of the plan then the business plan for MCA to run the community centre is viable. It would allow MCA to run the centre via a long lease with the Parish Council. The business case suggests that the centre would make sufficient income to cover the running costs as well as upkeep of the centre, a key factor in the type of lease that is proposed.
The community have, for many years, been told that it is the intention of the charity and Parish Council to provide a new facility. Indeed, some of the money gifted to the Parish Council was for the purpose of replacing the centre. The majority of the funds held by MSF were raised from the sale of “The New School” and, at the time of the sale, planning permission was granted by the Lake District National Park Authority for a change of use of the New School to a residential dwelling. This permission was given as there were plans to provide a replacement community facility elsewhere. This permission does not provide any requirements on MSF to use the funds in that way but is, instead, a clear indicator of the historical intent.
MSF changed their charity objects in 2019 to enable them to provide a new community centre, at the time there was a consultation as was required by the Charity Commission which showed that ca70% of respondents supported the new objects. The planning application submitted for a replacement community centre also had significant public backing. However, this design proved too costly and so a new design for the centre was created.
There have been a number of different consultations in different formats that have been carried out over the years and these have all been in favour of providing a replacement community centre for the benefit of the people of Matterdale. The development would also create car parking that could also be used by the church, whilst leaving about two thirds of the recreation field for outdoor activities.
Matterdale Community Association has a strong history of running successful events for the community and have produced a business case that MSF believe would enable them to make a success of the community centre. More information, including the business case, can be found on the Matterdale Parish Council ( Link here )and Matterdale Community Association website at the following link https://www.matterdale.org/newsreviews
Supporting Case for a trust fund
An alternative proposal for the use of the funds held be MSF is that it invests the money and uses the proceeds to provide grants to be used in the community.
MSF believes that it would be possible to invest their funds with a reputable charity sector specific investment fund so that the fund is increased in line with inflation (CPI) and also pay out an amount each year that could then be disbursed as grants. As some of the funds would be invested in the stock market this has to be a long term investment view as the value of the fund can decrease or increase over time.
It is believed that, were the funds invested in 2014, it would have been possible to make grant payments of about £12,000 each year which residents of the Matterdale Ward would have been able to apply for. Cumbria Community Foundation (CCF) have been approached with a view that they could administer the grant making process on behalf of MSF with criteria for awards that MSF and CCF agreed. If a decision was then made at a later date that residents wished to use the fund for a replacement community centre the funds would have kept pace with inflation and would therefore still be available for that purpose.
Suggested grant criteria (in draft form as they require ratification by MSF and CCF as well as further legal advice, further advice from the Charity Commission and possibly a change to the Charity Objects.)
- Grants to Matterdale Ward residents in education for any of the following activities:
- Support towards costs of equipment such as text books, course materials, uniform or sports equipment.
- Support towards the costs of educational visits for sporting, cultural and educational purposes.
- Support for travel costs for students in post 16 education.
- Grants to residents in the Matterdale Ward who are not currently in education for the express purpose of helping them to return to education.
- Grants to community groups providing a clear demonstrable benefit to the residents of the Matterdale Ward, even if based outside of the ward, for the following purposes, to benefit the residents of the ward:
- Organised recreational and/or leisure activities
- Social welfare activities
- Otherwise improving the conditions of life for residents of the ward.
Matterdale School Foundation will have the opportunity to amend these criteria on a regular basis and the agreed criteria will then be published. They may also choose to disburse the grant disproportionately between educational support and community projects. More information concerning how other trust funds operate can be found on the Cumbria Community Foundation Website.
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