A COUNCIL has given the go-ahead for repair work on a Teesside theatre, which will ensure it re-opens by the summer.

Stockton Borough Council yesterday agreed for interim repairs to be carried out to Billingham's Forum Theatre.

The council said the work should take about 12 weeks and will bring the total spend on maintenance and repair works since Christmas to more than £250,000.

The theatre was closed in January after heavy winds caused damage to the roof and external cladding. Since then, the council said it had been working with Riverside Leisure and Tees Active Limited to find a viable way forward for the building.

Detailed structural surveys have been carried out and Stockton council and Tees Active have consulted with the Health and Safety Executive.

The council has also submitted a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) bid to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, to pay for the full refurbishment of the complex.