A YOUTH centre at risk of closure over a lack of funding is in a “last chance saloon” with city councillors asking for more details on its future plans.

The Unit in Endless Street is celebrating its fifth birthday this year but is struggling to gain funding in the face of ongoing cuts to youth services.

At a Salisbury City Council Services Committee meeting last night, councillors deferred a decision to offer continued support after March 2016 until its meeting in December.

Councillors were asked to decide on three options:

* pay an extra £10,500 to fund a part-time project coordinator

* or spend £96,000 over the next three years for operational costs, a project worker and project materials

* or pay £279,825 over three years which would fund the above, plus the relocation to a larger building and salaries for a full time project worker and part time assistant.

But councillors raised fears the council, which currently provides the Unit with £7,000 to cover operational costs, was being asked to pay for services already offered to young people elsewhere in the city and requested a report regarding an alternative location for the centre.

Tim Scrace, chairman of Salisbury Youth Venture (SYV), told councillors it hoped to move into larger city centre premises to allow for greater numbers to attend and offer opportunities for income generation such as teenage markets and “mini concerts”.

He said it was difficult to produce a business case when youth service funding was hand-to-mouth and to get corporate sponsorship they needed at least a year’s funding commitment.

The Unit was refused funding from Salisbury Area Board earlier this year over concerns it lacked a sufficient business case.

* Community and business leaders are invited to attend a networking event at River Bourne Community from 6pm on September 10 to see how they can help and collaborate with Salisbury Youth Venture. During the evening young people are planning to showcase their talents.