Help from West Midlands County Council
1986
“The financial problems began fairly soon after it opened and by the end of ‘86 it was clear that it was in deep trouble. The County Council commissioned a feasibility study into the Lesbian and Gay Community Centre which concluded there was a need, that it could be sustainable, and that it was a valid project to support, hence they decided to give us a grant. However at that point the West Midlands County Council was facing abolition and was being wound up. It was the final item on the final agenda of its last ever meeting, their final act was to give a grant of £29.5K to the Centre which would have paid off its mortgage. They gave grants to ten other organisations, all perceived as marginal causes, such as disability and sickle cell anaemia, it was a legacy to the city and the region. By this time we had two County Councillors, one openly gay and one not initially openly, sitting on the committee, one from Coventry and one from Birmingham, and dealing with the officers was through this, it was standard practice to have some councillors sitting on the committee when any grant was given”.
Contributed by: Lyn David Thomas, 47