AS PART of its Big Community Offer initiative, Bourton-on-the-Water Parish Council purchased the George Moore Community Centre from Gloucestershire County Council.

The newly refurbished building, which is grade two listed, was originally used as a hospital but has been transformed into a community centre which can be enjoyed by all local residents in the area.

The project has been completed today after Bourton-on-the-Water Parish Council started the procedure in 2010 in response to the requests from the village community.

The services that were previously delivered from the former Bourton library and Victoria House in Stow will now be delivered from the new community centre.

Subsequently, both Victoria House and the former library site have been sold by the county council and some of the proceeds will be injected into vital front line services provided by the county council.

The parish council has now moved into the building and a new library is fully open to the public. GCC has been running its community care services from the building and further health related services will move in later in the year.

Furthermore, the parish council has planned a police point and a drop-in community café has been created in the renovated building and the community will be able to hire rooms for functions.

To help ensure that the community centre is financially sustainable, two new residential flats on the first floor will be let privately, so the parish council can generate income.

Councillor Ray Theodoulou, deputy leader of GCC said: “We’ve been working closely with the Bourton-on-the-Water Parish Council since 2010 on this project and I’m pleased that it has now come to fruition and the local community can enjoy the results.

“This new community centre will be a great asset to people who live in and around Bourton-on-the-water. The building is easy to access and importantly brings everything together."

Councillor Paul Hodgkinson, local member for Bourton-on-the-Water and Northleach said: “I know a tremendous amount of work has gone on between the county council and the parish council to make this happen; it’s a great project and I’m excited about the possibilities it brings to the area.

"There is a real sense of community in Bourton-on-the-Water and this new centre will help strengthen it."

Bryan Sumner, chair of the Bourton-on-the-Water Parish Council, said: "This is a very exciting time for the village, the new community centre will provide a central point for many services.

"The former cottage hospital, given to the village in 1928 by George Moore, will be protected for the future and continue to serve the community in line with George Moore’s original legacy.

“Today sees the culmination of four years of hard work to bring this project to fruition and we look forward to being able to offer new services to the community all housed at one convenient location.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those who believed in the project and worked tirelessly to deliver this vision.”