PLANS to re-open the Marlborough youth centre under the governance of the town council are afoot after Wiltshire Council offered it to them on a seven year lease.

At Monday's property committee meeting, chairman Guy Loosmore said that Wiltshire Council, as part of their withdrawal of youth services, were offering the St Margaret's Mead building to them on a 'peppercorn' rent.

However, under this lease, the town council would be responsible for insurance and repairs to the centre, in Salisbury Road, which could cost upwards of £20,000 to get the building in working order.

Now a building survey will take place to get an expert view on the state the building was left in and the costs they will incur.

Coun Loosmore said: "We have discussed the youth centre at length and there is a lot of support from the town for us to take this on. This survey gives us time to choose what we can do there.

"It is important to realise that this building does have massive maintenance issues. This building will be mothballed after the May elections and we can discuss the lease further at the next town council meeting, but this item on the agenda is just about the survey."

At the moment, the Marlborough Community Youth Group as well as some other groups use it, but after the May elections, Wiltshire Council will no longer look after it.

This is part of their community asset transfer programme, where they pass on buildings they no longer want or they cannot afford to run anymore.

When the survey comes back, the council will have a full debate on what to do with the youth centre.