DELICATE negotiations over the future of Otley Civic Centre have suffered a setback, it was claimed this week.

A furious chairman of the town council's Civic Centre Committee Councillor Ray Dunn accused opposition members of electioneering by giving the impression that a replacement civic centre could be built.

He claimed negotiations between the centre's landlords, Leeds City Council, and the town council for a lease had been put in jeopardy and that many people had got the impression that the centre was going to be demolished.

At Monday's meeting he described Liberal Democrat members hopes for a new centre on the Ashfield works site as 'pie in the sky' and demanded they produce firm plans.

Coun Graham Kirkland (Lib Dem, Otley and Wharfedale) called on the council to work together and stressed a vision was needed to come up with a modern, purpose built centre that would do the town justice.

"If everyone pulls together we could have in reasonably quick time a centre that Otley could be really proud of. I believe if people work together, we could move mountains and we need a vision for the future."

But Coun Phil Coyne claimed there was no chance of the city council putting up the money for a new civic centre and accused opposition members of putting at risk plans to build a new library and tourist information office in Nelson Street.

"The prospect of Leeds financing a new building is frankly laughable.

"What needs to happen is this civic centre should be refurbished and what we don't need is some cockeyed plan put forward for another site," he said.

After the meeting, Coun John Eveleigh, leader of Otley Town Council, said : "Resid-ents of the town deserve a civic centre of which they can be proud - and will want to use.

"To get the necessary investment the town council is proposing to take out a loan, but before this occurs, it will be essential to agree a new lease with the landlords - the city council."

The lease on the building has now expired and the town council is waiting for the city council to come up with a new one. Coun Eveleigh said he understood that the terms would include that the exterior of the building would be brought up to standard after which the entire building would become the responsibility of the Town Council and that the town council would be charged a peppercorn rent.

"These on the surface, without the council's legal opinion, look to be improved terms, because in recent years the town council has only been able to secure seven year leases."