By Joanne Kelly

AFTER months of talks Melksham's Assembly Hall has been saved as the town's community hall.

The town council has accepted a deal which will see the ownership of the building sold to the town council for £1.

Jean Harris, clerk to Melksham Town Council, has been part of the working party which has negotiated the future of the Assembly Hall.

"This is excellent news for the town. There is still a lot of work to do but we have made an agreement to ensure the hall must always be used for the use and benefit of residents of both the town and surrounding areas," said Mrs Harris.

At a meeting of the town council on Monday all councillors voted to accept West Wiltshire District Council's offer of a £100,000 subsidy over the next five years in staggered payments.

Cllr Adrienne Westbrook said the town was pleased with the offer of a subsidy to help the deal along.

The decision by West Wiltshire District Council to sell off its halls was announced in August 1999 after a detailed leisure review.

Serious negotiations started only six weeks ago when the people and the town council gave their unanimous backing to the proposal.

"This is a building which will be used by the whole community, this is an asset we have got now. A lot of work has been done, we have come a long way, it is excellent news," said Mrs Harris.

A questionnaire was sent out in August to every household in the town and 696 residents supported the idea of the hall being run by its town councillors.

The talks will now turn to finalising the details of the transfer. It will go ahead on April 1 next year if the deal is approved by Environment Secretary John Prescott.

"The idea eventually is for the town council to look at charity status and the hall to be run by a management committee and the town council to eventually be custodian trustees," said Mrs Harris.

The town council is drawing up a business plan.

Melksham and Warminster are the first town councils in the district set to take on their community halls.