SWINDON Chamber of Commerce says it is heading for the healthiest financial position in 110 years.

Although it has admitted that it has currently got some cashflow problems, it says that auditors have forecast a £50,000 surplus for May next year.

Chief executive Dennis Grant said that the chamber is owed about £75,000 and owes £58,000.

He said: "We are owed a small fortune and people are not paying up as fast as we would want.

"It's as simple as that, but it's nothing that we are unduly worried about.

"We are doing every normal trading activity, and we have lots of investment in training and relocation. None of our bills is outside 90 days, which is normal."

The Chamber is about to move its offices to Gorse Hill, and builders are currently refurbishing offices there.

The plan is still to move to the Mechanics' Institute in the Railway Village, which will be refurbished by owner Mathew Singh and converted into a business and conference centre.

At the moment the length of time the Chamber spends in Gorse Hill is dependent on how long it takes for the Mechanics, but it is likely to be about a year or just over.

Planning permission has been obtained for the south side of the Mechanics and scaffolding has been erected and some repair work carried out to that end of the building.

Mr Grant said: "The builders will move in in due course to that side. There is a public inquiry into the north side, which is scheduled for September."

The eventual plan will see a conference and business training facility, with a restaurant introduced, that envisioned as a business centre for Swindon to help existing companies and encourage new ones to move to the town to aid its prosperity.