I READ with interest David Smith's letter regarding the fight for a village hall in Astwood Bank (Advertiser, November 12).

It would seem the village hall committee had put in a considerable amount of work to reach the point of taking this proposal to the council for consideration.

I sympathise with Mr Smith and the village hall committee if, as alleged, the council officers' support disappeared due to re-organisation and the project was stonewalled before it had reached discussion stage.

Surely this issue needs to be redressed and given appropriate consideration so the merits of the proposal can be assessed.

I agree with Mr Smith's comment that a village hall must be somewhere neutral - not an annexe of a church, pub or school.

The church hall in Church Road, Astwood Bank, has served the community well for many years, albeit with its limited space.

Efforts are presently being made to raise funds for much needed disabled facilities and hopefully these will enable even more people to enjoy this venue.

The church hall, however, cannot be seen as the solution to what is really needed in a village of this size - a properly located and resourced, purpose-built hall, as is the case in surrounding villages.

The Government is encouraging the community use of school facilities for recreational and other uses when not required by the school.

I do wonder whether this may have been one of the factors when the council officers' support disappeared.

I am aware this option was discussed at a recent neighbourhood group meeting in Astwood Bank.

In my opinion, this would be a poor compromise. The requirements of location, access and car parking necessary for a village hall are different from those required by a school.

Also, the security of the school and its pupils could be compromised and the times available for community use would be restricted.

Astwood Bank has grown considerably over the last few years and will need adequate facilities to accommodate the future needs of the community.

Mr Smith said 'we haven't given up but are waiting for an opportunity to set the project back in full motion'. I hope this opportunity is not too far away and the village hall project gets the support it deserves.

KEITH ENSTON

Astwood Bank