The long-awaited transfer of a Norfolk town's youth centre to the town council should be completed within days.

Diss Town Council clerk Deborah Sarson said the county council should complete the transfer of the Diss Youth Resource Base in Shelfanger Road by the end of the year, ensuring it will not have to close.

The base fell victim to county council cuts earlier this year and was offered to the town council for �125,000.

An anonymous donor bought it for the council, and this week the council was given a report by business analysts Moss-King Associates into its future uses.

Recommendations included the establishment of a charitable trust to take over the running of the centre. This trust would include one young person, as well as a youth worker and would appoint a paid part-time caretaker, cleaner and full-time bookings administrator.

One potential source of revenue would be letting out the upstairs floor space for use by a social enterprise or not-for-profit group, the report said, while the downstairs is recommended for community and youth groups.

While the cost of the paid staff would be about �16,000 annually, the report states letting the upstairs office could generate �10,250 revenue annually, while the downstairs community space could produce �10,800.

However, major refurbishment and redecorating would be needed to improve the interior of the building.

The next stage is for the council to set out a vision for the centre's future by working with youngsters to determine what youth provision is needed, while also setting out a future funding plan.

dominic.bareham2@archant.co.uk