MALMESBURY Town Hall appears to have been saved after a North Wiltshire District Council working group recommended it be kept as a community facility.

But it still remains to seen whether the council is prepared to spend the thousands of pounds needed to repair and upgrade the 150-year-old building.

The working group was set up in March when North Wiltshire District Council, which owns the building, suggested selling it because it was too expensive to maintain.

Malmesbury town councillor, Charles Vernon, who sits on the working group, said of the report: "It is good news for the town in the sense that the council want the hall retained for the community.

"It's a good report with a few difficult little details."

The difficulties refer to recommendations which suggest that Malmesbury Town Council and the district council's Malmesbury area committee should pay for half of the £200,000 needed to carry out essential repairs and the partial refurbishment of the town hall.

The rest of the money would have to come from the district council's central fund.

But town sources have pointed out that Malmesbury Town Council only collects an annual precept of about £100,000 a year to provide a wide range of services, while the area committee may hesitate to hand out large amounts because this could severely deplete available funds for other community schemes.

In addition, the district council may be loath to pour money into the town hall given that it has already committed itself to spending £1 million on Malmesbury's new indoor swimming pool.

Coun Vernon said: "I'm very happy with the report. It's a good basis for a way forward.

"All we need now is to get North Wiltshire District Council to back us and deliver the goods."