DESPITE protests from campaigners, Hampshire County Council will transfer the Tower Arts Centre in Winchester to Kings' School.

The decision was made this afternoon (December 7) by county council leader Ken Thornber.

It is also slashing the annual grant from its recreation and heritage budget from around £100,000 to £25,000.

Campaigners raised concerns that the school would be unable to maintain the centre's evening programme.

Around 1,200 people signed a petition, and more than 400 packed Winchester Guildhall last month to urge the council to reconsider.

Cllr Ken Thornber, who leads the Tory-run authority, had already delayed his ruling twice to allow more comments.

However, he announced his decision today and it was not what campaigners wanted to hear.

Several came to lobby him in the council chamber, and the 25 seats in the public gallery were all taken.

Council officers had advised that the centre should be transferred to Kings' School.

One benefit, they added, would be more activities for youngsters between 3.30pm and 6pm, when the centre is usually shut.

The council would also give £25,000 each year for the next three years to shore up the evening programme, said officers.

When the plans to transfer the centre were first revealed six months ago, no such cash was available.

However, campaigners still argued that the deal was unacceptable.

Winchester-based professional artist, Alex Hoare, told Cllr Thornber that the proposal would "undermine" the city's artistic community.

"If this goes, it can never be recovered. You can't rebuild a spirit like the one at the Tower from scratch, and once it's gone, it's gone forever," she added.

Lib Dem prospective parliamentary candidate for Winchester, Martin Tod, said the finance plans for the Tower did not add up.

"This is not an alternative, it's a political fig leaf."

He added that too much recreation and heritage cash was being spent on managers at HQ, and not the arts.

Cllr Thornber replied that the county was not receiving enough cash from Westminster. As a result, it had to find £20m to balance the adult social care budget.

He added: "I made it clear that the savings programme is not negotiable. I didn't enter politics to make cuts, but my word, we've had to do it."

Despite the financial pressures, the council had found £25,000 per year for evening shows, he added.

The centre's daytime programme was also likely to improve, he said, while existing theatre groups using the Tower would be able to stay.

He then told campaigners: "The Tower Arts Centre is not closing. You'll retain your identity, you'll retain your facility, what is changing is the management."

Cllr Thornber then accepted the officers' report, which will see Kings' School taking over in April.