GROUPS claiming they have been priced out of using community facilities could be given a funding boost.
Facilities run by Waltham Forest Council have been left to gather dust because local groups cannot afford to pay the steep hire fee.
It means venues such as Chingford Assembly Hall in Station Road and Hale End Library in Castle Avenue - which provide computer access and a large space to residents - are being underused by the community.
But at Chingford Green Ward Forum meeting last night, Conservative councillor Matt Davis invited groups struggling to foot the bill for the facilities to ask the councillors for a share of £10,000 funding for local projects.
He said: "All the council's facilities are overpriced. It makes them unaffordable for local people, it makes no sense. It's perfectly legitimate use of the ward's spending money to make some lump of that available to reduce rental rates for local groups.
"They could put in for a grant from the community council for that cost."
The offer could provide an answer to groups trying to make use of the Assembly Hall - the venue where the forum meeting was held - which currently costs £696 to hire for eight hours between Monday and Thursday, or £87 per hour. Weekend costs rise to £217 per hour, or £1,736 for eight hours.
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