Town Council took poll on whether to borrow £250,000 for new facility

A poll, which closed at noon today, asked residents whether the Town Council should borrow £250,000 to assist with the funding for the proposed centre, which would be built in an area of land adjacent to the community centre, in Newchurch Road.

A total of 3,872 people voted out of a possible 9,158, meaning turnout of more than 42 per cent.

Of those who voted, 59.6 per cent of people voted in favour of the scheme.

40.4 per cent of voters voted against the plans and two of the votes were found to be invalid.

As previously reported in The Gazette, the centre will be open once school finished each day until 9pm and throughout the school holidays.

Those supporting the scheme also hope to work with partner agencies to deliver counselling services around issues such as alcohol, drugs, sexual health, bereavement and being a young carer.

The council plan to borrow the money from the Public Loans Board and pay it back over a period of 15 years by raising the council tax.

The total cost to a band D household over the course of the loan would be about £40, approximately £3.63 a year.