FOUR young people received Ashburton Community Awards for their part in making the Bank Youth Project a success.

The certificates were presented at a town council meeting by mayor Cllr Donald Distin.

'All we seem to hear about young people is bad. This award will highlight good work young people do in our community,' he said.

Hardly had councillors heard about the contributions these young people make than they were told that a £15,000 hole in the project's funding may mean it has to close next year.

Cllr Andrew Prince, a trustee, reported that grant applications are currently with Children in Need and the Big Lottery Fund.

To buy time it had been decided that the centre will open three nights a week from the new year instead of the current four.

A new tie-up with Ashburton Cookery School will provide new opportunities for the young people as well as the chance to raise money through cookie bake sales and the like.

Another possible source of new funding could come from the sale of the old youth club building in Stapledon Lane.

A public meeting to decide its future and possible sale of the defunct building, left to the youth of the town, will be held in the council chamber on Thursday, January 26, at 7.30pm.

Cllr Adrian Daw, a trustee of the old building, dampened speculation that selling the building could solve the Bank Youth Project's money problems.

'There will be plenty of other people in the queue as well,' he said.