THE fire-ravaged Whitworth Civic Hall could rise from the ashes on its original site if councillors give community proposals the go-ahead next week.

Leaders of the community group CLAW (Community Leisure Association of Whitworth), who are spearheading the re-build, want to use the £907,000 insurance payout to develop their vision.

They have asked the council to contribute £58,000 towards running the hall in the first year.

The council is considering a number of options, inclding moving the site of the rebuilt centre.

CLAW want the civic hall, which burnt down last December, rebuilt on the same site, enabling it to continue providing car parking for users of the neighbouring swimming pool and bowling green.

Coun Alan Neal, who was Mayor of Whitworth when the1968-built hall burnt down, said he wanted to see the building redeveloped without it crippling the tax payer.

He said: "We need to consider a number of options that are both sustainable and also self-financing which would involve a number of partners including Rossendale Council, Whitworth Town Council, Lancashire County Council, CLAW, Police, Rochdale PCT, Whitworth Churches Together and all the other user groups in Whitworth.

"I feel this would offer greater benefits not just for the community of Whitworth, but other parts of Rossendale as well. It will not be a burden on the charge payers of Whitworth or Rossendale as the space would be leased out to all the organisations."

He added: "This would only work if Rossendale Council used the £907,000 from the insurance pay out as all these funds would be needed to kick-start this project."

David Jackson, secretary of CLAW, appealed to councillors at an executive meeting, and said: "If you go through the process of not supporting us with the initial revenue support it will crucify our village as we will have no choice but to hand the keys back.

"If you close the pool then you effectively shut off Whitworth. We contribute 12 per cent towards Rossendale's budget, we are asking for a small proportion back to put the heart back in Whitworth. We can rebuild it for £907,000, we can't open and run it for the first 12 months without a small amount of revenue support."