THE management committee at Princes Risborough Youth Centre is gearing up to take over the day to day running of the service.

The centre in Merton Road was threatened with closure after Buckinghamshire County Council decided to put youth services out to tender to save money.

But now everything is in place for a community group to run it.

Management committee chairman Peter Robinson spoke at Princes Risborough Town Council meeting on Tuesday night.

He said: “They [BCC] have said that we can have the building and all the contents and they will be responsible for maintenance of the building and insurance of the building and the rest will be on up to us to set up a youth club.”

They have been supported by Action For Youth and plan to employ a professional youth worker from September.

Mr Robinson asked the town council if the one employee could be put on the council's pay roll and the youth centre would give the council the money.

Cllr Will Streule said the current youth officer is employed by BCC but this will finish after August.

They have had five volunteers come forward but more are needed.

He said: “The more we have the more successful it will be.”

Cllr Reg Orsler said: “I think the scheme is very worthwhile. It is just a matter of moving the money around.”

The clerk said she would need to check the legalities in adding the youth centre employee to the pay roll.