ALTERING the entrance to Kempsey Community Centre so it meets the planning requirements for holding a day nursery has left the parish council strapped for cash.

Creating the new driveway had not been in the original plan and chairman Ray Ellis told members it had meant the authority had to dip into its reserves.

The council has already paid to refurbish part of the building and for a new parish office with disabled access to be created in a former toilet block.

More expense is now being contemplated, with alterations to the heating system, to provide separate heating for the community centre, hairdressing salon and day nursery, which are all in the same building.

The council agreed to accept an estimate of £8,139 plus VAT. But it authorised the chairman and clerk to accept an alternative estimate if the contractors could not start work quickly.

Chairman Ray Ellis said reserves had gone down fast.

"We are now trying to eke out until the end of the year, when we can start to get some income from what we have done," he said.

Joy Clee said the council should not be afraid to borrow money for special projects. "We have done it before to get this building," she said.