THE cash for Haslemere's new flagship library and youth centre has finally been found.

Surrey County Council has agreed to set aside around £2 million to help pay for it.

So far, detailed plans for the new building - to replace the Wey Centre - have been kept under wraps but now funding has been found, discussion and detailed consultation can soon begin.

The funding was agreed by the council's executive on Tuesday after a plea from Haslemere's county councillor, Christine Stevens. The executive also heard that it had the backing of officers.

The move is a far cry from the original plans mooted years earlier for the Wey Centre to be refurbished to accommodate the library and youth centre. Those plans were rejected by the town - forcing the rethink.

"This is a truly happy day," Mrs Stevens said. "Like Oliver, I've been pressing for 'more'- three times more than was originally proposed with the conversion scheme - and we've got it. I'm delighted that we now have the possibility of securing a scheme we can all be proud of."

The decision means that the county council can begin talks with Waverley Borough Council, which is responsible for the common land, about the best location for the site.

Options include building on the site of the existing Wey Centre or putting the new building at the top of the nearby Fairground car park to front Wey Hill in place of the public toilets. The Wey Centre could then make way for extra parking spaces.

The new building will house not only a new library but also a new youth information and drop-in centre. Haslemere Volunteer Bureau is also negotiating to relocate to the new building.

Whichever option is pursued, the Secretary of State's permission is also required, meaning that the county council is expected to put forward plans which are the most likely to be approved.

" I am delighted that leading members at Waverley have informally indicated their support for a new-build facility," Mrs Stevens said. "Local people will want us to get on with it, and working with the borough council we could expedite the process, which would be helpful.

"All Haslemere councillors want to see improved youth facilities and this scheme will help. In addition, councillors, officers and other organisations are already working together well on this topic – and the idea is to develop a broader youth strategy for the town.

"Libraries are not just about books any more, although that role is still very important. The funding gives us a great opportunity to transform the library environment and community services within the building, including better public access to all sorts of information.

"There are other possible bonuses – such as the opportunity to tidy up the site area, knock down the old public toilets and incorporate them in the final scheme. There is much to do and I shall want to share our plans with the community.

"This funding decision opens doors for us in Haslemere and I hope it will bring people together as Haslewey is doing. It's Christmas come early.

"My thanks go to Chris Norris, the head of libraries, and the staff who have assisted as well as to my executive colleagues. I have given them all earache but the decision is just fantastic!"

Surrey County Council's head of community services, Nick Wilson, said that the executive's decision to allocate the cash for the library was a huge boost to the long-awaited project.

"This is a major step forward in our efforts to provide Haslemere with a better library and improved facilities for young people and we can now press ahead with drawing up detailed plans for the new building."

Haslemere's town mayor, Jean Arrick, was also thrilled at this week's funding decision and called for the town, local groups and councils to work together to secure the best building the town can get.

"My sincere thanks go to our county councillor, Christine Stevens, who has worked tirelessly to secure this bid," she told The Herald.

"This is brilliant news as the £2 million is enough to pay for a really impressive facility in Wey Hill which will provide services for young people as well as library and computer use.

"I hope all interested parties will now co-operate to agree on a building and design to suit most tastes. Christine has bent over backwards over the last few years to address the concerns of many different groups.

"The original scheme would have seen a newly refurbished Wey Centre at a much lower cost but town councillors rejected this on the grounds that the building was already deteriorating.

"At this point our county councillor went back to Surrey to seek more money.

"She has clearly been successful and we can now look forward to a new, modern building of which we can all be proud."