RESIDENTS who rallied around a beleaguered community centre which was ravaged by vandals are looking to the future after winning a grant to make it more secure.

Skerne Park Youth and Community Centre has been awarded £35,000 from the Criminal Justice Board's Community Cashback scheme, which aims to give £4m of confiscated criminal assets back to the public to improve crime-affected neighbourhoods.

The centre won the money after members of the public voted online to support it over other local projects.

The money will be spent on lighting and a closed circuit television system as well as on improving the centre’s outside appearance to encourage the community to use it.

The news comes after Councillor Cyndi Hughes appealed to the Skerne Park community to get behind the centre or face losing the facility.

Evidence had shown people had become reluctant to use the facility because of its badly lit and scruffy appearance. The centre closed temporarily over the summer after an arson attack and several attempted break-ins.

Residents and organisations including Darlington Borough Council, the police, local churches, the NHS and the fire service responded to Coun Hughes’ request and pledged to support the centre by holding events and workshops there.

Now the centre has secured money to make it secure, a meeting of the various organisations will take place on the best way to move the centre forward.

Coun Hughes said the community, from school children to council officers, had pulled together to make the bid successful.

“School children from Skerne Park School came to support the bid by making a plea for everyone who had access to a computer to vote in the competition for their centre,” she said.

“Community development workers at the council worked extremely hard to put the first-class bid together.

“The centre's management team are determined to pull together further funding and resources from community partners and stakeholders to breath new life into this wonderful neighbourhood resource.

“The £35,000 from this successful bid is a fantastic start,” she added. “I am determined to do what I can to help."

Jenny Chapman, the council's cabinet member for children and young people, said: "I visited Skerne Park Community Centre this morning and heard from residents about how the Community Centre provides excellent facilities, particularly for young people, to use. Improving security and making the building more attractive means more people will use it and enjoy the facilities there."