PETERSFIELD is in danger of losing its hard-fought-for town centre manager unless traders can find more cash.

The three-year funding package worked out with East Hampshire District Council, Petersfield Town Council and traders ends in December.

Petersfield Marketing Limited, which employs the town manager, has to find £24,000 to keep the post, currently held by Steve Johnston, in Petersfield for two days a week. The company also needs cash to fund marketing projects.

Trevor Boyden, director of Petersfield Marketing Limited, told The Herald this week: ÒThe job of town manager is now under threat unless we can find more money to fund it.Ó

He said the town had a monthly contract with the Havant Borough Partnership, which provided the services of Mr Johnston for two days a week. But the partnership charged the town £170 a day for the manager.

ÒWe need about £24,000 a year for the manager and for money to spend on marketing as well,Ó Mr Boyden said.

The Petersfield Market Town Initiative (PMTI) has asked Petersfield Town Council for £20,500 next year, which includes a grant for the cost of the Christmas lights.

It has also applied for more funding from East Hampshire District Council, and asked companies in Petersfield for support. In addition the company is beginning to recieve an income from its licence to hold events in The Square.

ÒThe trouble is that the national chains in Petersfield have to refer to their head offices, and nationally they couldnÕt give tuppence for what is happening in local communities,Ó Mr Boyden said.

ÒAs a director of the limited company which employs Mr Johnston, I know we have worked so hard to get into the position of having a town manager, and now the job is under threat. It would be a disaster if we had to lose Steve Johnston.Ó

Mr Boyden said it had taken time for him to become known in the town and now he was becoming a familiar figure to whom traders turned.

He added that unless Petersfield employed a manager to oversee marketing projects, it was hard to attract the funds to pay for schemes such as Christmas shopping promotions.

Mike Gibbs, Head of Economic Development and Tourism for East Hampshire District Council, told The Herald: ÒThe town initiative has received matched funding from the district council for three years and we are currently reviewing support for future years.Ó

He said the PMTIÕs business plan showed that it was beginning to pull in other forms of financial support and there was evidence of progress towards Ôself sufficiencyÕ.

ÒEast Hampshire District Council would consider any requests for continued support in the light of this,Ó he said.

Chairman of Petersfield Town CouncilÕs finance and general purposes committee George Watkinson told The Herald he had placed the grant request from the marketing initiative on the agenda for discussion by his committee. But he said there was no guarantee how much money the town council would give, or if it would decide to give at all.

Hampshire county councillor John West praised Mr Johnston this week for his role in liaising with traders over the work schedule for town centre improvements.

Mr West told town councillors on Monday evening: ÒHe has been extremely helpful in arranging meetings with traders and distributing newslettersÓ.

He said he had asked if the county council could subsidise some costs for Mr JohnstonÕs time in recognition of his contribution to the scheme.

District councillor Bob Ayer, speaking to EHDCÕs central area community committee, paid tribute to Mr JohnstonÕs work.

ÒHe is doing an extremely valuable job in acting as a conduit between the developers and the impacted businesses in Petersfield,Ó he said.

Steve Johnston told The Herald: ÒNothing is set in stone yet, the budget changes every time Petersfield Limited meets.

ÒI am not working towards finishing at the moment. I am working for events to take place at Easter and beyond. I am working for the future of Petersfield.Ó