NEW plans for a troubled town hall that could save its historic ballroom for the community will be unveiled this month. The scheme for converting Hitchin Town Hall into a museum and community space will be revealed at a public meeting on April 28. The pl

NEW plans for a troubled town hall that could save its historic ballroom for the community will be unveiled this month.

The scheme for converting Hitchin Town Hall into a museum and community space will be revealed at a public meeting on April 28.

The plans, the brainchild of a consortium of community groups in the town led by Hitchin Initiative, have been proposed as an alternative to North Herts District Council's scheme for the building.

The new plans preserve the Victorian ballroom, which would be lost under the local authority scheme to create a district museum.

Both plans have been drawn up by the same architect who will compare them at the meeting in Hitchin's Sun Hotel ballroom from 7pm. The public will then have the chance to ask questions and put forward ideas about the two schemes.

A vote on which plan to go ahead with will be taken by councillors in the summer.

John Robinson, council director of customer services, said: "We want as many people as possible to see the plans and give their views before councillors look at them. Our priority is to come up with a scheme that provides a museum and community facilities which are fit for purpose and provide value for money.