OSWESTRY MAY never get its new £2.2 million youth centre after the scheme fell foul of the Government’s national spending review.

The town’s Centre North West community youth centre closed in May after providing a base for young people and the agencies which help them for more than 40 years.

Young people have had to meet in temporary accommodation throughout the summer.

Now it is feared that the new “world class” building, due to replace the centre, may never materialise.

The council secured funding last year to create The Centre, Oswestry, on the site of the old Centre North West in Oak Street.

The money is due to come from “myplace”, a Department for Children, Schools and Families scheme run by the Big Lottery Fund.

However following this year’s election, the new Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition, put a temporary stop on myplace spending.

Now those behind the project are in limbo, waiting to see if the spending ban will be lifted.

Councillor Vince Hunt who has been involved with the project said he was deeply disappointed about the question mark now hanging over the new centre.

Wait

“We had gone through all the processes needed to get the money from myplace to completely rebuild it,” he continued.

“All the approvals had left Shropshire on the way to London — and then there was the election.

“Now we have to wait to for the result of the government’s spending review and keep our fingers crossed that the funding can be fully signed off.

“We really need this centre for the young people of Oswestry.”

The Centre, Oswestry, had been due to open in summer 2011 and it is not known whether the delay will have put the opening back.

It is does get the go ahead the building will provide youth activities including the use of multi-media and IT facilities, information, advice and guidance, as well as an Oswestry base for Shropshire’s Housing All- iance.

Since the closure of the Centre North West building the youth activities which used to take place there have moved to temporary premises in Holbache Road in Oswestry.

By Sue Austin