A COUNTY Durham village could have to dig into its pockets to keep its community centre open.

Middleton St George has been hit by Darlington Borough Council's decision to withdraw an annual grant from rural halls. It relied on the £4,500 grant so that it could keep hire charges to cover running costs.

On Wednesday, despite publicity, only three residents turned up to the management committee meeting to hear the latest news.

Commenting on the obvious apathy, Coun Mike Latter, chairman said: "If the villagers paid for this directly I think they would feel much more of a sense of ownership and might take more of a direct interest."

Low Dinsdale Parish Council has decided to raise its precept on the community charge next April, which would give £1,000 towards running costs.

"It will be about the price of a couple of pints and a packet of crisps per elector," quipped Coun Latter, who is one of its members.

It has urged its neighbour, Middleton St George Parish Council, to provide the other £4,000 through its precept and that will be discussed at its meeting on October 13. "We hope they see it the same way," he observed.

The committee has £4,673 in the bank but £2,500 is earmarked for urgent repairs to the leaking roof, which has caused flooding. It also has serious problems with vandalism.

"A lot of money goes into putting right what mindless individuals have done."

Last week, Coun Latter attended a Fair Funding seminar in the town to find out the criteria applying to trusts and foundations, which give grants to various organisations.

There appeared to be cash available for new schemes involving building, but little opportunity to get money to prop up an existing project.

The community centre is owned outright by a community trust and an added complication is that two of the three trustees have died. "The other is in Cumbria and we don't know how to get hold of him. We need to know who holds the deeds."

"We have to pay £1,500 a year for insurance, which is likely to shoot up after September 11. We can't stop that, because if someone breaks a leg they can sue us, personally and individually.

"A child fell off a swing in the play area last year, sued both parish councils and got £5,000."

Committee member Mark Miller whose wife, Beth, is a guide leader, said putting up rental did not seem to be an option.

"They pay £10 a session and they have 20 guides paying 75p. They make about £1 a week and have to pay their own insurance. They are going to be crippled if we put up our charges."

Coun Latter agreed: "We are booked five nights a week and bring in about 200, mostly young, people.

"It is a little ironic that the council's youth and community section has taken away our grant to spend on children's projects."

The committee intends to explore outside funding. Anyone interested can attend the next meeting on November 6 at 7pm