Income crisis for Kempsey

Paying for its upkeep could mean renting out the main hall and adjoining house for a day nursery, providing pre-school and after-school care.

Part of the building is already used as a hairdressing salon, but the total income is still not sufficient to meet running and maintenance costs.

"Nothing has been decided, except to keep the building and the hairdressing salon intact," said parish council chairman Joy Clee, at a public meeting attended by fewer than 40 people.

She explained that the use of the centre by Kempsey people had declined steadily since the parish council bought the former school building in 1985.

Many of the original users now use other venues, such as the sports pavilion, community youth centre and parish hall, which were all self-supporting.

Daytime use of the community centre was virtually nil and most regular users now came from outside the parish, she said.

One option would be to keep the building for its present use and meet the deficit through council tax, with a 12 per cent increase in the parish precept.

The council had also considered selling some land to a developer and converting the former headmaster's house into flats.

Ideas put forward included having the building listed and applying for maintenance grants, or selling it to a private landlord.

The nursery option, put forward by Sharon Chapman after conducting a parish survey, was favoured, because it would meet local need for day and after-school childcare.

"There's a huge need in the village, especially for an after-school club," said Mrs Chapman.

She would not use Room One and would be prepared to make part of the main hall available for public meetings.

The parish office, now on the first floor of the headmaster's house, could be moved to Room One to make it more accessible, in line with the Disability Discrimination Act.

Mrs Clee said the parish council would take parishioners' views into account in making a decision.