A PROPOSAL to set up a charitable trust to run Fareham's Ferneham Hall and Fareham Leisure Centre has won support from leisure councillors.

But they signalled their opposition to combining the two venues at a new location on land off Park Lane.

The study by the council's leisure overview panel was carried out in response to a wide-ranging review of facilities across the borough.

The council's executive will look at the panel's findings tonight.

The list of money-saving options came after escalating running costs prompted finance chiefs to look for savings.

At present the council must find £3m to spend on Ferneham Hall and the leisure centre over the next three years.

After their deliberations over the last few months the council's leisure overview panel concluded that both Ferneham Hall and Fareham Leisure Centre should remain on their current sites. They feared that many people who visit Ferneham Hall by public transport would be put off if it moved to an out-of-town location. The chairman of the leisure overview panel, Councillor Connie Hockley, said she hoped their recommendations would be taken into consideration.

The panel's vice chairman, Councillor John Bryant, said members had not come down one way or the other over the possible closure of Fareham Community Association's building in Queen's Road.

"At the moment these are all only options in a public consultation. Nothing has been decided yet," he said.