Ledbury Youth Centre could be open again as early as April, under plans announced by Herefordshire Council.

The authority says one problem which might delay the opening is the recruitment of appropriate staff.

In a letter to Ledbury Town Council, Jon Ralph, the county's community youth service manager, said: "If we do successfully recruit for Ledbury, I would hope we would be able to reopen the centre once staff have undertaken their induction period. Optimistically, this might be April 2004."

The centre, off Bye Street, has been closed for over a year, except for some use as a needle exchange for heroin users last summer.

Mr Ralph said: "I fully realise that young people may feel let down by our inability to recruit appropriate staff. It's not for want of trying."