An athletics track's pavilion building, that had been proposed to close, will now remain open for the next year.

The building, in Verulamium Park, will remain available to athletics clubs and groups, wishing to utilise the building.

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The announcement comes after St Albans City and District Council created a 'working group' to discuss the future of the Abbey View Athletics Track.

Cllr Helen Campbell, chair of the council’s public realm committee, said: "We know how important that building is to the athletics clubs that use it and we have worked with our partners Everyone Active to find a way to continue to offer use of the building by clubs while future arrangements are worked out.

“I am delighted that the pavilion building can still be used by the athletics clubs over the coming year, and I am sure runners and other athletes who use the facilities will be pleased with the news.

"It will give us plenty of time to work with them to thrash out a long-term plan to transition to a different operating model."

In the long term, St Albans City and District Council is exploring whether the track's main users could take up responsibility for the facility.

Cllr Campbell continued: "The difficult economic climate is forcing us to take some tough decisions under enormous time pressure.

“We need to set out our balanced budget for a Full Council meeting to consider in a couple of weeks’ time.

“We have no choice but to consider making some savings which is why the closure of the pavilion was mooted.

“However, we are completely committed to providing first-class leisure facilities for our residents to enjoy which is why we have managed to find a way of maintaining athletics clubs access to the pavilion for another year.

“We can now seek to establish a long-term plan with our stakeholders. I can assure residents we are determined to make the best use of the time available and work out a realistic way forward.”