YOUTH services across Caerphilly county are set to receive a £100,000 boost thanks to an underspend in the budget to build the new youth centre in Blackwood.

After the former facility on Woodbine Road burnt down in 2009, the local authority received £761,438 as an insurance settlement.

This money was used to build a brand new youth centre on the Blackwood Comprehensive site which opened last summer.

Caerphilly council’s cabinet will be told at tomorrow’s meeting that the local authority still has £130,000 in its account for the project. While £30,000 is being used to finish a basketball court area and drainage works, around £100,000 will then be left in the pot.

While the school wants to use the money to build an all-weather surface for the entire area, to be used by the school, youth club and community, cabinet members will be recommended to approve using the money to support youth service provisions across the borough.

The former Blackwood youth club was demolished by fire in October 2009 in a suspected arson attack. Police said after exhausting every line of inquiry, they were unable to bring any charges in relation to this.

Youngsters fromthe area used a number of temporary locations such as the former Fast Forward building on Pentwyn Road as work began on their new home.

The insurance sum amounted to £761,438, with around £66,000 going on demolition work at the old site and replacing ICT equipment.

The rest went on building of the new club.

In a report, assistant schools director Bleddyn Hopkins recommends that members agree to transfer the remaining £100,000 to the youth service budget.