A COMMUNITY hall has been handed back to the people of Witham after being released from council control.

Dengie Hall, in Dengie Close, was managed by Braintree District Council until the end of 2011.

In the last year, as part of the council's initiative to save nearly £5 million, work has been under way to transfer management of the hall back to the community.

Witham care home company AGL Care Ltd has now been announced the new managers of the hall.

Chief executive of AGL Care Gyan Ludhor has lived in Witham for 40 years and hopes to use the building to provide more facilities for vulnerable people in the area.

His daughter, Nadya Ludhor, is one of the directors of the company. She said: "When we found out that Dengie Hall was going, we knew that they do functions for Mencap and the like, so we wanted to be able to continue to help with care in the community.

"There isn't a place like it in Witham, where people hold functions together. It's really important for the town.

"Having grown up in Witham, my brother, sister and I have all celebrated birthdays, New Year's Eve and even attended nursery in the hall. We have grown up around it.

"We feel it is a privilege to be associated with its management and helping it to thrive."

AGL Care has a five-year lease on the property, which will remain in the ownership of Braintree District Council.