A COMMITTEE has been formed to investigate ways of securing the future of a threatened village hall.

Sedgefield Parish Hall could close within a year, unless money is raised to carry out extensive repairs.

About £750,000 is needed to bring the hall into line with noise nuisance regulations.

The committee was formed at a public meeting this week. It is hoped an independent group will develop from it, to lease the hall from the town council and enable it to apply for grants.

Sedgefield Borough Council has agreed to a 12-month extension of the entertainment licence, subject to strict conditions, but the major noise problem cannot be solved without major work.

The hall is home to several community groups and hosts a range of extramural activities.

Councillors are determined it will not be lost, but the town council is restricted in access to funding sources which would be open to an independent committee.

Coun John Robinson said that the council wanted to hand over the hall, probably on a lease basis, to the new group.