PLANS to guarantee the long term future of Abergavenny's Borough Theatre continue apace with the latest phase of the establishment of a Trust to assume control of the theatre from April 2010.

As reported in The Chronicle last year a feasibility study was commissioned to look at future management options for the successful theatre.

Following the publication of the report of this independent study, Monmouthshire County Council has opted to follow its main recommendation of setting up a Trust to run the town theatre.

"The local authority is committed to supporting the long term sustainability of the theatre and will remain a major funder of The Borough Theatre," said manager Nick Banwell.

"However, independence from the council will enable the theatre to seek more diverse sources of funding and support than it is able to do whilst part of the local authority.

"The theatre's other main funder is, and is likely to remain, the Arts Council of Wales," he said.

Describing the move as 'good news for the theatre', Mr Banwell said that the independent report concluded that it was in the interests of both the Borough Theatre and Monmouthshire County Council to pursue the Trust route.

"It is important that it is not regarded as a way of Monmouthshire County Council jettisoning the Borough Theatre but a way of safeguarding its long term future," he said.

"As a trust the theatre will also be able to operate with greater independence and freedom and be able to determine its own needs and priorities," said Mr Banwell.

"The benefits to the theatre are that it will be able to operate more efficiently and with greater self determination; it will be able to strengthen its ties with the local community and it will be able to increase its income by broadening its income sources," he added.

The move to Trust status will also offer some advantages for Monmouthshire County Council, which will be able to expect increased output from the theatre for the same level of investment.

"Over time as the theatre establishes new income streams it will be able to become less reliant on financial support from the local authority leading to increased savings. This will help ensure that the authority does not lose a highly regarded and much used resource as a result of increased financial pressures," said Mr Banwell.

As part of its progress towards establishing Trust status The Borough Theatre is now looking for interested members of the public to become trustees and plans to hold at open evening at the theatre on Tuesday, May 5.

The open evening aims to provide background information on how the theatre operates and the structure of arts activity in Wales as well as an exploration of what the roles and responsibilities of future trustees are likely to be.

"We hope the evening will give us a chance to engage with people and attract local people who may be interested in becoming a trustee," said Mr Banwell.

"What we are hoping to attract are people with an interest in The Borough Theatre who also may have something to offer in a practical sense.

"The work of a trustee is interesting and stimulating but will have some real responsibility and we are not looking for sleeping partners but people with real skills, real enthusiasm and real interest," he said.

It is anticipated that the board will be actively engaged by September with the aim of establishing the Trust itself by April 2010.

"The initial input from the trustees will be quite intensive with meetings at least monthly," said Mr Banwell.

"I would ask anyone interested in finding out more or coming along to the open evening, to phone either me on 1873 735830 or Kevin Smith of Monmouthshire County Council on 01633 644550 for further information," he added.