A newly elected board for a community arts venue in Glastonbury has pledged to restore the financial stability of the organisation.

The Red Brick Building Centre Ltd (RBBC) begun its ‘transitional recovery phase’ following its Annual General Meeting on 11 May, during which ‘strong support’ for the protection of the space was demonstrated.

Government funding of over £2.8m had been granted to the RBBC in 2022, in support of a project designed to create a Life Factory space for young people – but the council asked for £2.29m of the monies to be paid back when the scheme was scrapped last year.

It had also reportedly requested that RBBC return the £115,715 it was given for the Glastonbury Food and Regenerative Farming Centre project.

In a statement last week, the RBBC confirmed that its new Recovery Team, the incoming Board, and members of Somerset Council had recently met to discuss recovery strategies for the organisation.

‘The newly elected board members have stated that their immediate focus is financial stabilisation, transparency, rebuilding trust, and developing a realistic long-term Development Plan for the Red Brick Building’, the statement reveals.

The statement also explained that the Board aims to expand participation, members, skills, and community members in future.

Wendy Robinson, a newly elected board member, said: ‘The Red Brick Building has faced an exceptionally challenging period, but there remains enormous passion and determination to protect the future of this space.’

A council spokesperson said: ‘The council has lodged a claim to recover the funding provided for the Life Factory project but has always been clear it will not pursue that claim while Red Brick develops and delivers a viable recovery plan for the organisation.’

‘We do not expect to receive a claim from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. The Regenerative Farming Centre project is in the process of being separated from Red Brick Building Centre Ltd and will hopefully be able to restart in the near future’, they added.