PARISH councillors were furious after being told they would have to pay for repairs following a flood at Helsby Community Centre on June 8.
Flooring in the main hall at the centre - leased to the parish council by Cheshire County Council - was damaged after a leak from a water boiler.
Scores of community groups have had to be re-housed at church halls and the Scout building, and Helsby Community Association believes it could lose more than £1,000.
The county is responsible for insuring the building. Councillors were shocked to learn it was not covered for the accidental damage.
Councillors received an e-mail from the county's property services unit saying they would have to pay.
The county has now offered to come to an agreement over the cost, but parish chairman, Cllr Terry O'Neill, is unhappy with the initial response.
Cheshire County Council spokeswoman said: 'The county council chooses not to insure against water damage from burst pipes and boilers as part of its corporate property insurance cover. We regard such incidents as being preventable by good risk management.'
