A NEW advice warehouse which could cost up to £400,000 has been given the go-ahead for a site on Custom House Quay, Weymouth.

Much of the proposed funding was detailed at a Weymouth and Portland management committee meeting.

Environmental Services Director Richard Burgess said the Community Fund would provide support up to a maximum of £200,000 with the borough and county councils chipping in £50,000 each.

He said the concept of an advice warehouse providing a "one stop shop" for voluntary sector advice and counselling in Weymouth came out of the Waterside Weymouth single regeneration budget programme.

Mr Burgess added that so far there had been wide support for the advice warehouse with strong indications that the facility would be fully used by a wide range of voluntary sector advice and counselling providers.

Such a site would allow the major voluntary sector partners in the project - the Citizens' Advice Bureau (CAB) and Relate - to expand their services in Weymouth. In particular, the CAB could bid for specialist advice provision as part of the Community Legal Service Initiative.

Mr Burgess said: "Weymouth and Portland Housing Company has indicated that it would wish to use the building for town centre advice surgeries and would be prepared to make a small capital and/or revenue contribution to reflect this.

"Weymouth College indicated they remain strongly committed to the concept linking Outreach IT training, business support and advice and would intend to bid for funding for their part of the project."

Smaller voluntary sector providers have indicated usage extending from support groups for persons with mental and physical disabilities and various Outreach projects.

Members strongly supported the project and backed a number of recommendations from funding and management to submitting planning applications.

Coun Hazel Priest said: "I think this is a really good project which I am really excited about."

Committee chairman Coun Kay Wilcox urged members to support it in principle and to attempt to get as much extended funding as possible. The meeting agreed.