The Deputy Leader of North West Leicestershire District Council says he wants the former Market Hall issue settled by the end of the year - adding it is costing the authority £20,000 a year to run as an unused building.

Councillor Michael Wyatt realises the site needs to be put to good use in the town.

It was put up for sale last year by the council as a possible leisure venue 'like a cinema'.

The council, which owns the building, marketed the site with the aim of attracting investment to Coalville.

But a Spring deadline 12 months ago came and went with no progress made.

The building is no longer on the market and it is thought covenants restricting its use could be putting off potential buyers - and stopping the council making use of it.

But Cllr Wyatt says moves are under way to remove some of those covenants and make the Market Hall a place that is 'usable' for Coalville residents.

He told Coalville Nub News: "It's one of my priorities to bring it back into use.

"It's been a sitting duck for some years now.

"Yes, there have been some ideas as to how what it could be utilised for.

"But this year, should be the year we sort that out.

"It needs to be - but the reasons why I've pushed back on it so far is there are several covenants on the property.

"That restricts what we can use it for. When you have those restrictions it makes it work less than what it could be - and what we can put in there and then use it for.

"Until those restrictions are gone, it makes it very difficult to make a decision on what we can do with it."

But Cllr Wyatt says the council may not have to sell the site.

He added: "This year, hopefully, there'll be some changes which will allow us to make a proper decision on its future.

"It will make it more usable - and that doesn't mean the council has to sell it.

"But it would allow us to look at a better array of options and open more doors for us.

"Before, it was very narrow due to the covenant."

Cllr Wyatt added it is important to get the building into use again - with unnecessary expense among the reasons.

He added: "My priority is to get it used in some sort of way to benefit the community.

"At the moment, the council says we have a deficit, but we're losing £20,000 a year on the Market Hall.

"That's a minimum figure which is just going down the drain. It's basic costs and business rates.

"We can't allow that to happen. I'd rather address those sorts of issues than cut frontline services."