Lithgow Girl Guides won’t be going anywhere as they receive a 10 year lease from Local Government Minister Gabrielle Upton.
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Member for Bathurst Paul Toole said Local Government Minister Gabrielle Upton has granted statutory approval for a 10 year lease for the Lithgow District Girl Guides Hall site on Young Street.
Girl Guides leader Cheryl Rutherford who has been with the guides in Lithgow for 20 years was confused when they first received notification that the lease was up.
After a thorough investigation through council, Mrs Rutherford found out that when they received the building it was on a 21 year lease because it was on council land.
I’ve put blood, sweat and tears put into this hall and I was devastated because I thought we owned it,
- Cheryl Rutherford
The hall is frequently used for meetings, planning and the weekly gathering of girls who attend.
There are currently 18 girls who attend the girl guides weekly, the largest number in a few years.
“We have been continually growing so getting this lease will be amazing for the girls,” Mrs Rutherford said.
The group is a flexi unit with girls from age seven through to 14 able to attend.
Girl Guides Australia has a proud history and tradition as one of the largest not-for-profit organisations in the country for girls and young women.
“It provides valuable leadership and personal skills development to thousands of members across Australia including Lithgow,” Mr Toole said.
Mr Toole said that he hopes the girls can get a lot of use out of the hall.
“Ten years is better then five because five years tends to fly past so quickly, at least with 10 you have time to plan ahead,” he said.
Mr Toole said Lithgow City Council requested the Minister’s approval under the Local Government Act to grant this lease over community land.
“I am pleased that the council has met all requirements under this process. This included the development of a Plan for Management for the site,” he said.
“This lease provides the Girl Guides with security of tenure at the site.”
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Local Government Minister Gabrielle Upton said the NSW Government is committed to assisting councils to provide the infrastructure, facilities and services that their communities need and deserve.
“The Girl Guides have operated in the Lithgow area since the 1940s and continue to offer relevant and worthwhile programs to empower girls and young women in the local community,” she said.
“I am proud to grant this approval to allow the council to provide them with ongoing certainty in relation to their long-term home in Young Street.”
Lithgow Girl Guides currently meet at the Lithgow Guide Hall on Young Street and meets on Monday at 4.15pm-6.15pm.