AT LAST! Winchester civic chiefs have come up with a definite plan to spend a unique bequest.

After struggling for more than five years, the city council has decided how it wants to spend the money from the will of Bapsybanoo Pavry, the last Marchioness of Winchester.

She died in 1995 leaving £500,000, but insisted that it fund a new community hall next to the Guildhall.

The council is to plead with the Charity Commissioners for approval to alter how it uses the money, arguing that a new hall would not be a good use of the bequest.

It has struggled to fulfill the exact terms of Bapsy's bequest. Since 1995 the sum has grown to £1.1m.

The council has decided that a separate building in Abbey Passage is feasible but it would need an extra injection of at least £1m.

Council officers propose instead to alter the under-used conference chamber by splitting it in two and improving access for the disabled with new lifts. New ground-floor access would be created from The Broadway.

Steve Tilbury, director of community services, said the Charity Commissioners would be asked for permission to spend the bequest in a different way.

Mr Tilbury said: "I think we are being true to the spirit of the bequest."

He said that when Bapsy drew up her will in the early 1950s the Guildhall was a very different building.

It was the council administrative headquarters and the police station. In the 1980s it was revamped to create the community facilities that Bapsy wanted to see.

Mr Tilbury said: "In the 1950s the Guildhall wasn't anything like it is now. The council has already turned the Guildhall into the kind of thing she envisaged."

He said if the Charity Commissioners reject the conference chamber idea then the council was in trouble. He said: "I'm not sure there is a Plan B.

"We have been over so many options. We are very anxious to spend the bequest."

Council leader Sheila Campbell said: "I'm pleased we are coming forward with something as forward-looking."

The plans appear to have broad support. Cllr George Holingbery, deputy Tory leader, said: "The leisure department has put a huge amount of work into this. It has been very difficult to work with the terms of the bequest."

Labour group leader Patrick Davies said of the difficulties: "When the will was written the building was completely different."

The council's Cabinet is being urged to back the conference plan. It meets on May 19.