A NEW community hub in Wellington will be used officially for the first time on Monday (July 21) when the town council holds a committee meeting in it.

The Kings Arms hub, converted from a former town centre public house, will then have a ‘soft opening’ on July 29, with a formal ceremony planned for the autumn.

The town council’s community committee will meet in the KingsArms at 6 pm on Monday and one of the items to be discussed by councillors is progress with the conversion project and its budget.

Hub manager Helen Acreman said in a report the project was likely to come in at about £4,500 under its £80,000 budget.

But the council’s community connect champion Pete Joint said the hub’s £18,000 operating budget to March of next year was facing an overspend because it did not include either the cost of utilities or any service charge which might be levied by Falcon Rural Housing, from which the premises were being leased.

Mr Joint said costs would need to allow for a wi fi service which would need to connect to Elon Musk’s Starlink due to difficulties finding a service with enough line speed and bandwidth for the numbers expected to use it.

He said: “The Kings Arm Community Hub will be a one stop shop to provide advice and support for families, children and young people, and vulnerable adults.”

Councillors will receive an update on the town council’s community development plan for the period up to 2030.

Community development officer Laura Batcha said engagement with local people was being run until September through methods such as drop-in sessions, targeted mini-workshops, attending events, and online and paper surveys.

A draft plan would then be prepared with view to finalising it by November in time for the council’s 2026-27 budget setting.