AN £800,000 cut in funds to improve Harmans Water Community Centre is "disappointing" but necessary in the short term, according to one of the area’s borough councillors.

The money was set aside to repair the centre off Ralph’s Ride and bring it back into community use but has been axed from Bracknell Forest Council’s capital budget for 2016/17 after it was revealed the council was facing a funding gap of £12.5 million.

The centre, situated above a parade of shops in The Square, was being used by the Bracknell Islamic Cultural Society but the building has deteriorated to such an extent that they have been forced to find new premises and were granted permission to begin using a empty office in a Forest Park business estate in January.

Cllr Chris Turrell, of Harmans Water ward, was part of a trio who tried to bring the centre back into use several years ago and says the current budget cuts faced by the council have led to difficult decisions being made.

He said: “We would quite like to get funding, but the situation with the local finances is difficult at the moment. The centre is at the heart of the community and I think it’s important.

“The overall situation is very serious and the council has to make difficult decisions.

“Some of the things at risk are things we have actively supported and developed. To be faced with this position is very difficult and disappointing but I hope what comes out of it is some opportunities. It’s just about doing things differently.”

Cllr Turrell added the future of the community centre would depend on the outcome of finance led reviews of the borough’s nine libraries and added he hoped the centre’s improvements would be funded at some point in the future.

The council has been forced to use money from reserves to balance the books in time for the 2016/17 budget deadline this March after a further £2.4 million was hacked off of their annual grant.

They were left with just seven weeks to create a legal budget after the government revealed unprecedented reductions in the level of grant available to local authorities.

Will you or a community group be affected by the budget cuts when they come into force on April 1? Get in touch lhill@berksmedia.co.uk