South Oxfordshire District Council were threatening to withdraw funding for Thame's information centre due to budgetary restrictions.

This could have meant the information centre facing closure, or increases in the town's council tax, as set by the Town Council to keep it going.

The Information Centre, beased at Thame Town Hall, heard last week that SODC had decided to continue their annual funding which is #27,000 until 2009/2010.

However, the Centre is by no means in the clear.

Town Clerk Helen Stewart is fearful about the future because although the funding has been granted this year, there are strong rumours that funding will be withdrawn for good next year.

"Last week, we found out we will keep the funding for another year. It's good because it gives us breathing space because we are in the throws of setting our own budgets and it wouldn't have given any room for manoeuvre. At least, this way we can look at our budgets and use what we can to deliver in our finances," said Mrs Stewart.

Thame Town Council made representations to SODC to hang on to their vital funding, and for the time being, it has paid off.

Mrs Stewart said Thame Town Council would be reluctant to change their council tax figures, as they would have to find enough money through the tax increase to make up for the money they are losing from SODC.

Mrs Stewart added that the cut in Town Hall funding would create a surplus of cash for SODC, passing the task of raising the necessary funds to keep the Information Centre to the Town Council.

The money would have to be raised through increased council tax - the small part of the overall council tax bill that is set by Thame Town Council.

Mrs Stewart said the SODC would avoid criticism for up taxes, as in council tax bills it would be Thame Town Council hiking the price.

She said that if council tax had to go up in this way, it could be a rise of up to 1 per cent.

The #27,000 that SODC give to the Information Centre pays for a full time member of staff and covers the cost of running the centre.

The task now falls upon the Town Hall to prove to SODC that the service provided by the Information is indispensable to the town, and that any future funding cuts would have a detrimental knock-on effect to Thame.

"Over the next 12 months we have to try to put together our proposals and try to get the district council to recognise the importance of the services the Information Centre provides," Mrs Stewart said.