A campaign to save the Tudorville Youth Centre from closure is being launched by the local community association. Members hope that with support from more local residents they will be able to take over the centre and run it themselves.

A public meeting is to held at the Centre on Saturday, February l3th, starting at 2pm at which local residents will be invited to give their views on proposals to save the Centre and put it on a secure footing for the future.

Colin Gray, chairman of the Tudorville Community Association, warned that if nothing was done the Centre would face closure in March and probably be knocked down.

To avoid this the Community Association plans to ask Herefordshire Council to hand over ownership of the Centre to the Community Association for a nominal sum. In return the Association would provide a commitment to use the Centre in a responsible manner for the benefit of the local community. That would require more volunteers to strengthen the Community Association and the adoption of a business plan aimed at running the Centre as a viable business like other community centres and village halls in neighbouring districts.

Antony Lowther, and Councillor John Edwards, of the Ross Sports & Leisure Federation, have volunteered their support for the plan, which they believe will work well provided there is sufficient backing from the local residents. Cllr Edwards said the Federation was worried that there was already a shortfall in the provision of adequate sports and leisure activities in Ross, especially for the younger generation. It would be a disaster if the Tudorville Centre ceased to exist.

Mr Lowther said his experience with the Whitchurch Village Hall provided a model for what could be achieved with hard work from volunteers, committed to helping the local community. Although the Tudorville Centre needed some maintenance and repair work there was already some grant money available and a stable future could be achieved by matching expenditures with income generated by users of the Centre.

Herefordshire Council's Youth Service has decided that the Tudorville Centre is no longer suitable for its purposes and the Council estimates that it would cost over £220,000 in repairs and modernisation, which is it not prepared to spend. However it is believed the Council would not like to see the Centre closed down and would welcome the running costs being taken over by someone else on behalf of the local community.

Colin Gray hopes that Herefordshire Council will be convinced that there is sufficient support from the local community to run it properly. Local residents, joining the Association, would be responsible for day to day control of running the Centre for the benefit of the local community.

He said:?"It is vital, therefore, that local residents came to the meeting on February l3th in large numbers to demonstrate their support, strengthen the Association and give their views on the proposed rescue plan.

"It is a real case of 'use it or lose it', he declared.