Residents of Shelf are being urged to attend a public meeting to discuss the future of a struggling community centre.

Wade House Youth and Community Centre is due to close temporarily at the end of the month because it needs £30,000 to bring it up to safety standards.

But the dedicated committee has organised an eleventh hour meeting tomorrow with residents and Councillor Bill Carpenter to find out if there is any way forward.

Fred Bell, chairman of the centre committee, said around 1,000 leaflets had gone to parents via pupils at Shelf Infant and Primary School and St Michael's Primary School and through the mum and toddler group.

"We spoke to teachers and have delivered the leaflets through pupils, many of whom attend the monthly junior and senior discos which attract some 200 children but are under threat."

"The temporary closure will mean that we haven't got anywhere to run the discos which bring the money in. We need a licence to run it as a dance hall but the Council will not renew the licence because of the work which needs doing."

He said there had been an inquiry from a Bradford-based youth drama school which might be interested in buying the property.

"Maybe we could share the building but there still needs a lot of discussion before any ideas get going."

Councillor Bill Carpenter said the centre was very important for the community and offered a valuable resource to young people.

"I am going to hear the suggestions for a possible takeover of the building to bring it back into community use.

"There is a possibility someone might be in the field for purchasing the building."

Margaret McCullogh, who runs the discos, urged people to show their support at the meeting which starts in the centre at 7pm.

"The children have been quite upset because it is the only thing they have got in Shelf and if we shut, the grant from Calderdale Council for the youth club will also have to go back.