Council re-opening of community centres and village halls-opening of community centres and village halls

AS of the 14^th August 2020, community centres / village halls have been able to open for some permitted activities.

Examples of activities permitted under the regulations include:

• Exercise classes – no more than 30 people
• Dance classes – no more than 30 people
• Childcare facility
• Children’s holiday club
• Supervised activities for children, for example: scouts, guides, brownies etc
• Wedding parties and funeral celebrations – no more than 30 people 
• Medical or health services for example: Slimming world, counselling. These must be by appointment on a 1 to 1 basis.
• Donate blood
• Food bank

You cannot open for the following activities:

• Dog obedience classes
• Meetings / AGMS
• Merched y Wawr / WI groups
• Indoor food market
• Drama group
• Choir practice
• Gardening club
• Educational classes
• Art class
• Band practice
• Sewing/knitting club
• Birthday parties

This is not an exhaustive list of activities that can and cannot take place in a community centre / village hall. Organisers of community centres must remember that under Regulation 14 of the Health Protection (Coronavirus Restriction) (No.2) (Wales) Regulations 2020 (as amended) ‘gatherings’ are not permitted indoors without a ‘reasonable excuse’. You must ensure that if you open your community centre/village hall for an activity that it meets the definition of a reasonable excuse. Full details of what is defined as a gathering and considered a reasonable excuse is available on the legislation.gov.uk website.

All reasonable measures must be taken to minimise the risk of exposure to coronavirus by:

• maintaining a distance of 2 metres between people both inside the building and whilst queuing outside.
• limiting close face to face interaction and maintaining hygiene
• providing information to those entering or working at the premises about how to minimise the risk of exposure to coronavirus.

As part of the NHS Wales test, trace and protect service you must collect contact information from anyone attending the premises and retain it for 21 days. Further guidance on how this should be carried out is available on the Welsh Government website.