A LOCAL education group wants to make Louth Town Hall a hub for school and family services while maintaining it as a popular community facility.

Louth Community Education Trust, a not-for-profit organisation, has been invited to develop a full business plan for taking on the Grade II listed building.

Seven community groups expressed an interest in taking on the town hall after East Lindsey District Council announced it wanted to transfer the building to a community group to run.

Andrew Howlett who is leading the Louth Community Education Trust's application said the plan, which is at an early stage, will ensure that Louth Town Hall is maintained as a community facility for the town – including retaining features such as the hall's Compton organ.

He said: "It is important that Louth retains its town hall as a community access centre. We want to do that and develop it as a base as a local improvement centre for local schools, families and the community to access services which are currently fragmented and difficult to access.

"Under the terms of our proposal, the town hall would enhance and develop the facilities and services for the community and become a central access point for education quality in Louth and the surrounding area . It will be a hub for services that are currently fragmented, no longer part of the local provision, difficult for schools and families to access or outside the current availability for schools and the community."

Services which could be offered at Louth Town Hall through the Trust include enterprise activities, citizenship development, careers development, learning development, parent and student advice and support such as admissions and anti-bullying and teacher/staff training.

The trust's bid includes the running of the hall through a management board.

All the seven applications sub mitted to take on Louth Town Hall were independently assessed by an outside organisation on behalf of East Lindsey District Council.

The criteria was that the proposal had to ensure that the hall continues to be available to the local community, as well as show that it can be financially supported and maintained into the future for the benefit of Louth and the wider community .

A spokesman from ELDC said: "The decision will not be made until the summer, by which time Louth Education Trust needs to demonstrate they meet requirements about future use, governance arrangements and community access before they are accepted."