TO remind us that we still live in a period of austerity, cut backs have again reared their unwanted head in that most obvious of targets; the community centre.

This one is in Burton Stone Lane, where for the past 24 years York Coronary Support Group has provided fitness classes for patients newly released from hospital, to enable them to return to as normal a life as possible.

The group forms an essential part of the rehabilitation programme which commences in the Coronary Care Unit of York Hospital. But the council has now said the £44,000 a year it costs to keep the centre going can no longer continue.

This is a difficult issue. We have always said front line services must be sacrosanct, which by definition means everything else will have to justify itself. That said, this is unquestionably a valuable resource and these classes have the backing of heart tsar, Sir Roger Boyle.

All is not lost, though. There is still a possibility of funding the centre from council allocations to Clifton Residents’ Association and York Coronary Support Group has asked local people to sign a petition.

Now they have more than enough signatures to force the issue to be debated at full council. So it appears there may be more options than just closure.

Even in these days of austerity, we hope a compromise can still be reached.