Monmouthshire County Council has unanimously passed a motion calling on the authority’s administration to reach a fair and sustainable agreement with the trustees of the Bridges Centre to secure its long-term future.

The motion, proposed by Conservative Leader Cllr Richard John and seconded by Cllr Martin Newell, received cross-party support.

The trustees and the council have been in negotiations for most of this year but have not reached an agreement. While the Centre has been offered a 30-year lease, the proposed annual rent of £97,000 only has a rebate for the first three years and trustees are concerned that in future, the Centre could face the full commercial rent.

At Thursday’s full council meeting, Cllr Richard John presented a petition signed by over 3,000 local people and a protest was held outside County Hall. The protest was addressed by Cllr Richard John, Cllr Martin Newell (Town ward, Monmouth) and Cllr Ian Chandler, Cabinet Member for Social Care.

Speaking after the vote, Cllr Richard John, “The Council’s cabinet has received a very clear instruction from the full council via this motion and from the submission of a 3,000-name petition – get back to the negotiating table and offer Bridges a fair lease.

“Councillors of all parties recognise the value that Bridges adds to Monmouth, but we needed to set out why their new lease requires safeguards so the Centre will never face a full commercial rent.

“We’re grateful to all the residents who came to County Hall on Thursday to watch the debate and see the petition submitted – their support for Bridges has been unstinting.

Cllr Martin Newell added, “The unanimous passing of this motion marks a significant step towards safeguarding the Bridges Centre, ensuring it remains at the heart of Monmouth community life for generations to come.”