Plans for Winchelsea Community House to continue managing Shire Hall

Published on 25 March 2025

Surf Coast Shire Council will seek to enter into an agreement with the Winchelsea Community House to continue managing the Winchelsea Shire Hall for the next two years.

Council officers will also commence negotiations to continue delivering its Child and Family Health Services, from the hall and community house.

The proposed plan is an evolution of the current arrangement which has been in place following a Council resolution in 2021.

What would happen under the proposed agreement?

Council would pay the Winchelsea Community House an annual management fee, which reduces over the two years recognising that room hire income is increasing.

The Council decision considered the importance of this building to the Winchelsea community whilst balancing that this management model is quite unique for Council owned buildings.

In 2027 Council will transition to a model where the Winchelsea Community House has the option to manage the Winchelsea Shire Hall without Council paying a management fee.  If this is not suitable, Council would manage and book the hall to user groups.

This model reduces and concludes Council’s contribution which is a more consistent approach to managing community facilities across the shire.

Cr Adrian Schonfelder said the Winchelsea Shire Hall held great significance for many locals, who were keen for it to be the heart of the town.

“It’s been wonderful to see lots of people regularly popping in and out of the hall. There’s a wide range of activities on offer and it’s great to see the community embracing it with hire rates steadily increasing over the past two years,” he said.

“So we’re pleased to enter into further negotiations with Winchelsea Community House to continue their role managing the hall over the next two years.”

“We look forward to working together to support the transition of the hall into the community house service offerings in the longer term, which is more in line with the way many other Council owned facilities are managed,” Cr Schonfelder said.

“There are many benefits of co-locating Council’s Child and Family Health Services within the Winchelsea Community House alongside other key community services for families so we absolutely want to see these benefits continue.”