CAMPAIGNERS hope to set up a charitable body to take on a public building threatened with closure.

Councillors and residents have set up a group in a bid to save Grade II listed Gomersal Public Hall after users were told Kirklees Council funding to run it is set to be cut later his year.

There was some confusion about the building's ownership, but the local authority has now confirmed it has owned the building since the 1930s in its capacity as a charitable trustee, but this means it cannot simply be transferred to a community group.

Councillor Lisa Holmes (Con, Liversedge and Gomersal) said: "We now know that the building cannot just be transferred to a local group as we were originally told, and the running of it must pass to a charitable body. We would like to set up such a body, but we are still waiting for Kirklees Council to provide up to date and accurate information, months after it was first requested.

"For example, the building survey we have been given is nearly nine years old. This is of little use to us: it’s clearly time to say enough is enough and push forward with a more effective approach."

Councillor David Hall (Con, Liversedge and Gomersal) added: "After consulting locally, the first step was to establish a steering group to try and pull together interested parties and people with experience of running charities.

“The timescale is extremely tight, and so speed is now of the essence.”

The Save Gomersal Public Hall group was set up this month with the two councillors and local residents involved.

They will create a business plan and work towards forming a charitable trust to run the Oxford Road hall, which was built in 1849.

"We hope that, with the help of some very able local residents, we will soon have a plan in place that ensures the continuance of Gomersal Public Hall as a local amenity. It would be a disaster for the village if the hall were to close, so we will try our utmost to stop that happening,” added Cllr Holmes.

The group is keen to hear from anyone who can offer commercial legal or building surveying skills to help with the creation of a business plan.

A spokesman for Kirklees Council said: "While the situation with charitable trusts and land ownership can be confusing, we are clear in this case that the Council does own Gomersal Public Hall and has done since 1936, and the Council is registered as the proprietor of the hall at the Land Registry.

"However, that ownership is in its capacity as a charitable trustee, so decisions regarding the future of the hall must comply with the Charities Acts and the terms of the charitable trust that governs Gomersal Public Hall.

"We all want to secure a good outcome for the future of the hall, so officers are continuing to work with local ward councillors and residents to ensure that the hall has a viable future."

The Grade II listed building has a number of rooms as well as the main hall, which are available for community use, such as meetings, playgroups and fitness classes.

To offer support to the group, call Cllr Holmes on 07922 242370.