WEST Oxfordshire District Council’s cabinet agreed to donate £5,000 to Witney youth centre Base 33.

The centre, which provides services for the town’s most vulnerable youngsters, faced closure a month ago.

Public donations had dropped by more than 50 per cent over the last year.

But, following a fundraising campaign by Oxford Mail readers, more than £10,000 was raised to secure the centre’s future.

As well as the grant, the cabinet offered the council’s financial expertise to help prevent a future funding crisis.

Cabinet member for finance Simon Hoare and the council’s strategic director Frank Wilson could now advise the youth centre.

Before unanimously backing the grant, councillors praised the centre.

Richard Langridge, for Witney North, said: “Without question, Base 33 does valuable and vital work.”

He said the grant was a one-off, but, after meeting with Base 33 trustees, he was happy financial problems would not be repeated.

Last week, chairman of the trustees, the Rev Richard Donoghue, said they had not paid close enough attention to funds.

But he said it would not happen again.

The £5,000 grant will need to be ratified by the full council next week.