Wrexham Theatre has been dogged by criticism

Sixteen members of Wrexham Council have called a special meeting to discuss the project - currently on hold because a builder cannot be found to carry out the work - to ask the local authority to abandon the scheme.

"Council tax is likely to increase [as a result] and people can't afford these increases, especially senior citizens," said Independent Group Leader Bob Dutton.

"We know council tax will be put up anyway - at least by five per cent."

However, Wrexham Council has said it has pledged to give the theatre's board of trustees �120,000 from existing budgets for the next three years and are not aware of further costs being passed on to council tax payers.

The controversial project to be built at the Wrexham Library and Arts Centre has been dogged by criticism.

People are telling us they don't want it Cllr Bob Dutton

Building work has been shelved for the time being after the local authority failed to find a company able to build it for the agreed price.

It was the second financial setback for the council regarding the theatre in a number of weeks.

In October the company due to build the 400-seat venue pulled out just weeks before the start of work.

Wrexham Council contacted the second tender but they had gone into administration.

The project has been plagued by financial problems from the start, in July the Welsh Assembly Government offered the council a lifeline after it announced a one-off grant of up to �660,000.

The special meeting to discuss the project's future will be held on 1 December, councillor Dutton said it would be best for all involved if the project was allowed to go no further.

"People are telling us they don't want it," he said.

The theatre and conference centre was due to be completed by 2005 and Wrexham Council have said they remain committed to the scheme.