MIDDLETON St George Parish Council is refusing to bail out the village community centre without seeing a business case.

The chairman, Coun Brian Jones, has criticised Mike Latter, chairman of the community association, for pressing it to put up the parish precept - an extra to the borough council tax.

"I think some of the public comments from the chairman are unfortunate," he said on Monday, referring to a quote -'If they say no, we board the place up'.

"I think it is an attempt to blackmail and put pressure on the parish council to solve his problems."

The borough council's recent decision to withdraw next year's grants to village halls leaves the community centre short of the £4,500 it relied on to keep it up and running.

Low Dinsdale Parish Council, of which Mr Latter is a member, has already agreed to put up its precept to raise £1,000.

Middleton St George has been urged to follow suit to meet the shortfall. That would mean Band D properties paying an extra £3.31.

"It would be quite easy to raise the precept," admitted Coun Jones. "But should we? We face a 9pc increase by the borough council."

Two hundred people used the centre, but only four people - three from the parish council - turned up to a crisis meeting in September and three residents attended the October meeting.

Coun Martin Walker pointed out: "This is not a one-off. It is going to be ongoing."

Coun Mike McBride wanted to see the equivalent of a business case before making a decision. "Who else has been approached. If this is just a begging bowl, point it at someone else. There must be other avenues they can explore."

"I did provide information about possible grants from elsewhere at the September meeting, " said the chairman.

"I agree it would be a terrible waste if it was to be boarded up. It would be an absolute shame and the people who use it would obviously miss it."

"The sad thing is, I think there was no justification for the grant being withdrawn in the first place. I just wonder why the rural community associations have been made a target when the urban ones are not.

"Because we can precept, that is why," said Coun Doris Jones. "But it is pushing up the council tax more and more all the time. Low Dinsdale houses already pay 40pc more on their precept than similar properties in Middleton St George."