USERS of Yeadon Town Hall have been told they will not have to meet increased booking charges when the hall re-opens after repair work has been carried out.

Coun Bernard Atha, chairman of Leeds City Council's cultural services committee, says in a letter to Richard Hughes-Rowlands, chairman of Yeadon Town Hall Users Group: "There is no intention to meet the cost of the rewiring by increased booking charges.

"I sometimes wonder who could dream up such a possibility."

The city council closed the town hall on December 15, because the existing electrical system was considered too dangerous.

Coun Atha points out that the possibility of compensation to users was something the council's lawyers would be looking into.

"The local authority is bound by strict rules as to the manner in which it disposes of its resources.

"I have, however, spoken to the three local councillors (Coun Moira Dunn, Coun Mike Dunn and Coun Tony Addison) and I am quite sure they are sincere in their view that if they can help organisations which are in financial difficulties because of the closure they will do so." Coun Atha said anyone wishing to discuss their particular position should contact one of the three councillors.

Mr Hughes-Rowlands said the various groups using the town hall had been asked to send a claim to the city council so that help could be considered.

He added that the user group had already launched a petition to the city council asking for the highest priority to be given to getting the repair work completed.

"Already at least a thousand people have signed the petition in Yeadon and more signatures are coming in all the time," he said.

The petition, when completed, is to be presented to the council by a deputation from the Town Hall Users Group.

Coun Atha said: "We shall do our best to expedite the repair work. A contract which could amount to nearly £250,000 cannot be done by any other method than formal bills of quantity, designs, drawings, tenders, periods when the tender is out and the period for evaluating them.

'This process may not be known from someone explaining the inevitable time scales of this process."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.