THRILLED! That is the reported response from Tolladine residents to the news that they are to get a £500,000 revamp of their much-loved, but out-of-date, community centre.

This welcome news comes against a background of uncertainty as the city council struggles to balance its books and has been battling to save some of its youth services from the budgetary axe.

The Tolladine centre is said to be bulging at the seams and a new cash injection of nearly £300,000, which is part if the Sure Start Government-funded project, will be a 'life-saver'.

The residents have been raising money themselves for years and we know were getting very despondent at some stages with the lack of any progress.

However, all that is behind them now and they are set to raise the extra needed to complete the work, taking the planned investment to nearly £500,000. Already they have pledges of more than £86,000 towards this.

Local vicar, Jeni Parsons sums up the feelings of the residents when she says: "Someone has, at long last, realised that they need to ask the people of Tolladine what they want and work with them to produce this."

Wise words indeed and words that may be heeded by the councillors who hold the purse strings of the city coffers.

They are elected to serve the communities who voted for them.

All those standing for election on May 1 should remember this.