A WELL-USED Haworth building owned by Bradford Council and now subject to a review is in “terrible” disrepair, according to a ward councillor.

Haworth Community Centre, in Butt Lane, is owned by the district council’s youth services, which is currently reviewing all of its properties.

Worth Valley ward councillor, Rebecca Poulsen, said: “There have been various schemes to redevelop the property and to to build a new community centre, with more than £2 million being allocated for this by the council.

“But that money seems to have disappeared and I’m still trying to get to the bottom of where it has gone because it certainly hasn’t been spent on the community centre.

“The building has just been left and is in severe need of repairs – it is in a terrible state.

“It includes a big hall and some smaller buildings so it is quite a large site. We have also had some vandalism issues there.”

She said the property is used by the council’s youth services for two nights a week, and is also home to the local Scout group, mothers and toddlers sessions and the Songbirds drama group.

Cllr Poulsen added the centre, which is managed on a day-to-day basis by a committee of volunteers, is also heavily in demand during Haworth’s popular annual 1940s Weekend.

She said: “The youth service is reviewing all of its buildings and is going to take a report about this to the area committee at the end of November.

“I am concerned about the review and about how this building has been managed by the council over a number of years.

“I went to a meeting of the community centre committee volunteers with Haworth, Cross Roads and Stanbury Parish Council deputy chairman, Cllr Angel Kershaw, and parish councillor Ashna Yates.

“The committee is quite despondent. Its members have been trying to keep things going with no support from the council. They intend to apply for a £10,000 pre-feasibility grant so they can have a proper, independent report done.

“All this is at a very early stage. There may be a better option for the community centre, but we do need to see what is best for the village.”

Cllr Andrew Thornton, Bradford Council’s executive member for environment and sport, said council officers had met with Cllr Poulson and representatives of Haworth Parish Council as part of an appraisal of community assets in Haworth.

He added: “We will also be starting to consult with groups that use the centre and other community groups in the area. The aim is to establish a plan of sustainable provision for the needs of the community.”