YOUNG people in Wallingford are getting a new youth centre, thanks to town council leaders who battled for the past year to find them new premises.

In September, the town’s youth centre in Clapcot Way closed its doors as part of a county council cuts package earlier in the year.

But a plan to convert a disused church in Wigod Way into a new combined youth centre and family centre has now been finalised.

Town councillor Lynda Atkins said: “This is the culmination of 12 months of hard graft to find suitable premises for a new youth centre.

“There was a real determination in the town to do something for young people.”

The town council and children’s charity Pact (Parents and Children Together) agreed to take over the evangelical church, and the building was transferred to the town council last week.

Earlier this year, the Assemblies of God church said the building could be taken over by South Oxfordshire District Council, and now it has transferred the freehold of the building to the town council.

The transfer of the site includes a covenant restricting the use of the building for community activities which are not-for-profit.

Over the next 12 months, a £177,000 refurbishment will be completed inside the church and town council leaders hope it will be ready to use by this time next year.

Wallingford Town Council is contributing £110,000 towards the building’s redevelopment.

This money is being supported by about £67,000 from the county council comprising a £20,042 of Big Society grant and £47,690 developer contributions from Fairmile Hospital housing development in Cholsey.