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| The law |
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Refer to an accountant |
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1. Village halls and community centres |
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The provision of village halls is a charitable purpose falling under the fourth "Head " of charity - other charitable purposes for the benefit of the community. The provision of a village hall is specifically deemed to be charitable by virtue of s 1(3) of the Recreational Charities Act 1958. Accordingly the objects of most village halls are now framed to reflect the wording of the 1958 Act. |
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A village hall is intended for use by all sections of the community in which it is situated, although some users may come from outside the area of benefit. Issues concerning how the hall is used, and by whom, is considered in greater detail in OG 68 B4. |
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Whilst village halls are similar in nature to community centres, they are not exactly the same. Community centres have current model objects which allow for charitable purposes wider than those of the Recreational Charities Act. Also, the administration of a community centre typically encompasses the groups or sections using it and this means that the accounts of the individual sections will be included in the main account for the charity. In comparison village halls are used by groups who remain autonomous from the village hall charity. This series of operational guidance deals specifically with village halls and, whilst many of the principles can be applied to guidance on community centres, it is not the aim of this guidance to provide comprehensive guidance on community centre issues. |
 
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2. Management of village halls |
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2.1 The most usual way for village halls to be managed
2.2 Management where there are two linked charities |
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2.1 The most usual way for village halls to be managed |
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The management and administration of the hall is usually in the hands of a management committee comprising of representatives from organisations using the hall and individuals (usually called elected members) appointed at the annual general meeting. Further details about composition of the committee and appointment of trustees is considered further in OG 68 B2. |
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2.2 Management where there are two linked charities |
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The village hall itself can sometimes consist of two linked charities. One charity comprises the land and buildings (freehold or leasehold) and is governed by trusts declared in a trust deed. Typically this charity is administered by a limited number of trustees. The other charity is an unincorporated association governed by a constitution, typically is administered by a committee, and deals with the management of the charity. This issue is dealt with further in OG 68 B1. |
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3. Use of the hall |
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The hall itself can be used in a number of different ways. The groups using the hall do not in themselves need to be charities: many halls have local sports clubs and hobby societies associated with them, as well as charitable groups such as scouts or guide groups. Issues surrounding the use of halls and facilities associated with them is considered further in OG 68 B4. |
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Provision of alcohol is a common issue for village halls; this is considered in depth in OG 63. |
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4. The role of other agencies |
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There are a number of agencies which take an interest in village halls and there are often good reasons why we might wish to work with them. Details of these organisations can be found in OG 68 C1. |
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