The prospect of a community centre in central Yeovil is hanging by a thread after a report suggested funding should be withdrawn.

More than £325,000 hase been reserved for the project by South Somerset District Council and Yeovil Town Council - but councillors have now been recommended to withdraw support.

Ambitious plans were revealed in February 2000 for the two-floor community centre - and then MP Paddy Ashdown officially launched the project on February 14th that year.

The community centre would be built in the car park between Petters Way and the arts centre on South Street, but it soon became clear that the attempt to complete the project by spring 2001 would be unsuccessful.

The charity set up to see the project through, Yeovil Community Association (YCA), lost members and a delay in getting access to money from the South West Regional Development Agency was also listed as a reason problems experienced.

In January this year district councillor Tony Fife questioned the commitment from YCA members, saying the council had ended up in a leading role when it was only supposed to be a facilitator of the project.

The council then announced that concerned parties would be invited for discussions before proposals for a financially reshaped project would be presented in May this year.

A district council press bulletin released this week says: "Further work to examine the potential for developing a community facility on the South Street site established there was no longer overwhelming support for the concept.

"This same investigation also highlighted a current need to explore a demonstrated demand for fully accessible administration, meeting and training space for the voluntary sector organisations."

Cllr Tim Carroll explained that proposals for a community centre was put forward at a time when there was a genuine need for such a facility, but projects such as The Gateway and the Baptist church renovation have, to some degree, met those needs.

Cllr Fife said: "We are quite rightly taking a critical look at where there is an identified gap in services, and where this money can be best used. It may be the South Street site will not be developed in the shorter term.

"The bigger picture is being looked at, including the possibility of a centrally located one stop shop. This could provide adequate accommodation for the voluntary sectors and other agencies as well as incorporating a single access point for all council services."

The council press bulletin also said that a capital appraisal would be submitted for the 2003-04 budget process, the aim being to find a way of retaining funds (including a grant) for projects indisputably needed in Yeovil.

*The report will be discussed by town and district councillors at various meetings on August 1st, 6th and 8th.