A youth club could expand or end up in financial crisis - depending on a decision by councillors today.

The community hall in Northlands Park, Pitsea, is home to the town's only boys' club, but the group cannot get external funding without a long lease.

Basildon Council usually only offers seven year leases, but is considering offering a special 25- year lease to the group.

At its meeting tonight, the council will also consider offering the site at the peppercorn rent of £1 a year.

Northlands Park Boys' Club chairman Richard Llewellyn said: "The boys' club association has been running activities for five years -it has been going well so obviously we want to continue.

"Currently we have general activities like football, canoeing and hiking. If we can get the long -term lease we can get the lottery funding, so we could carry on with what we are doing and do other work around the district."

The board will consider three options:

Continue on a shorter lease, with the council offering support for rent payments for three years. This would bring in an extra £1,800 a year for the council, but it would limit the club's access to external funding and after three years the group may not have the funding to continue

Extend the lease to 25 years and pay the rent for seven years, with further grants assessed every three years. This would not affect the council's budget.

Extend the lease to 25 years at a rate of £1 per year. This would not affect the council's budget but needs the approval of the Secretary of State.

Published Thursday, May 29, 2003

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