A WEIGHT-loss consultant has slammed a move by Basildon Council to put up the cost of hiring out its community halls.

Laura Lee, who runs a weekly Slimming World class at the Billericay Day Centre, has seen the cost of renting the venue soar by almost £10 an hour.

The 49-year-old has hosted a session at the centre in Chantry Way every week for nine years.

Laura, of The Grove, Billericay, said: “For a long time, I’ve paid £54 to hire the hall out for three hours a week. This has now gone up to £81 for three hours.

“That’s a staggering amount of money – and something I cannot afford.

“They say that they have moved me into a commercial rate category instead of giving me the community rate I have always paid.

“I don’t think this is fair, as my group is open to everyone in the community who wants to lose weight and improve their health.

“We even have people referred with vouchers from their GP.”

Last week, it was reported the council will review the way it operates its 50 community halls across the borough and has not ruled out closing some buildings in a bid to save £200,000.

Hire costs have also had to go up – at some halls by 60 per cent – as part of the council’s drive to save cash.

Laura has now started up a petition to fight the hike, which has been signed by dozens of her Slimming World clients. She added: “I’m a key holder at the hall and I’ve been a regular user for almost a decade.

“I’m worried these costs will affect a lot of community groups and clubs who just won’t be able to afford to hire out a hall.

“The council should be focusing their efforts on promoting the use of its hall to the wider community to bring in money – not penalising loyal users.”

Pippa Brent-Isherwood, Basildon Council’s manager of community services, said: “Hirers of all council-run community halls have been split into two categories, community and commercial, with different rates.

“The decision as to whether a hirer is classified as a community or commercial hirer was based on accounts and other information submitted to the council by each hirer.

“Slimming World, as a national company generating an income from its activities in the hall, has been designated a commercial hirer.”

She said the fees had been agreed following a pricing exercise with neighbouring local authorities offering similar services.

Ms Brent-Isherwood added: “The hourly charge for community and commercial hire at Billericay Day Centre has remained unchanged from the last financial year, but some hirers formerly classed as community hirers are now classified as commercial hirers.

“The current fees and charges continue to represent value for money to the hirer, whether community or commercial.”