OTLEY Town Council has agreed to back two community initiatives at a total cost of £8,750.

A grant of £6,500 will help Prince Henry's Grammar School carry out an urgent refurbishment of its sport changing rooms at Wharfemeadows Park.

As well as bringing the facilities up to scratch the work is intended to provide an upgrade that will lead to greater community use.

A £2,250 contribution has also been made towards Otley Action for Older People's plans - working with the building's trustees - for Otley Old People's Welfare Centre.

The charity (OAOP), due to move into the Crossgate property this month, is putting together a £300,000 redesign scheme.

The town council's Policy and Resources Committee heard presentations on both projects on Monday.

Speaking afterwards, Town Council Chair Councillor Ray Georgeson (Lib Dem, Danefield), said: "I see this as good news on both fronts.

"I'm pleased the council is investing in the much needed refurbishment of the changing rooms and promoting greater access for the community to the sports facilities available.

"The OAOP / Old People's Welfare project, meanwhile, is an ambitious refurbishment to create a town centre hub for older people and again the council is pleased to be able to assist in kick-starting it.

"Investments in Otley for the young, old and us in the middle has to be a good thing."

Faculty Leader for PE at Prince Henry's, Dave Curtis, said: "We are very grateful for this support which is crucial to our refurbishment of the pavilion at Wharfemeadows, which is urgently needed.

"Along with a grant from the National Lottery Awards for All and our own investment we should be able to upgrade these facilities into something which will make our community proud.

"We are hoping that a lot more community users will be able to make use of Wharfemeadows for sporting events after the work is done, as well as our 1,500 students."

A Memorandum of Understanding on community access to the refurbished facility is to be agreed by the school and the council.

Sue Trainor from OAOP and David Wilkinson from the Otley Older People's Welfare Management Committee, meanwhile, explained the motivation behind their scheme to the meeting.

Mr Wilkinson said: "We've got a £1 million building in an ideal site - we can do a lot more with it, which is why we approached OAOP.

"We have problems with the toilets and no disability toilets in the building which these days is crazy.

"We're also looking at how do we comply with the Disability Discrimination Act.

"We're not there to make profit for profit's sake but we'd like the building to be top-notch and to keep it that way."

Mrs Trainor added: "We've already engaged the services of an architect who's drawn up some plans which would give us a downstairs, as well as upstairs, office space and revamp the entire building.

"It would move the toilets and put in in disabled toilets.

"It's quite an ambitious project - we're talking in the region of £300,000 to do this."