TAXPAYERS in Tadley could be asked if they want to contribute £50,000 to a new youth centre for the town.

The cash will come from Tadley Town Council’s reserves. As previously reported, the town council earlier this year agreed to work with Tadley and District Community Association towards providing the centre on land next to the Community Centre in Newchurch Road. The site is now owned by Basing-stoke and Deane Borough Council.

On Monday, a town council committee recommended £50,000 be set aside for the scheme.

They also recommended that the full town council should consider taking out a loan from the Public Works Loan Board to help finance the £500,000 cost of construction.

If the recommendations are approved the residents of Tadley will be asked what they think of the plan before it goes ahead.

As of the end of March, the council had £110,511 in general reserves and a further £154,961 in reserves which have been earmarked for expenditure on the cemetery, vehicles, tools, CCTV, the play area, skatepark and other projects. The reserves are made up from money gathered through the precept, grants and charges made for cemetery provision.

The proposal for a youth club in Tadley was first mooted more than six years ago.

Surveys carried out by the town and borough council have previously identified a need for a youth facility in the town and the weekly youth activities at the Community Centre regularly attract up to 100 young people. A statement sent out by the town council clerk Nicki Barry describes the project as a “golden opportunity for the council to deliver a much sought-after facility for the town.”