A council which is set to scrapped next month has received approval to spend £1 million of contributions from developers on a range of community schemes, despite its successor local authority being uncertain about future demands for essential infrastructure in the area.
More than two months after Hambleton District Council’s cabinet agreed it wanted to spend a large chunk of its remaining Community Infrastructure Levy funding on 15 projects, North Yorkshire County Council officials have consented to spending on 13 of the schemes.
Councillor Mark Robson, leader of Hambleton council, said: “This is fantastic news for residents right across our district. The funding has been split over 13 separate community projects so as many people as possible can benefit.
“As a council we are always keen to deliver against our aim of offering our residents a special place to live and investing in these community schemes will significantly contribute to that.”
The decision follows the government handing the county council, as the predecessor to the incoming unitary North Yorkshire Council, powers to veto spending decisions by the county’s seven district and boroughs.
Ryedale District Council has been in a bitter struggle with the county council over its continuing right to decide how to spend its developers’ contributions.
The district wants to boost a business starter units initiative, but the county council says it is concerned about whether it will have sufficient funding for a potential new school in Malton.
However, County Hall has approved the Hambleton schemes after learning they were long-awaited and had been planned.
The schemes include £90,00 for a 3G pitch in Bedale, £165,000 for Sowerby Sports Village, £150,000 for Huby and Sutton Community Shop and £80,000 to create 24 quarter allotments at Bankhead Road, Northallerton.
Other projects include £8,000 for landscaping and cycle racks in Northallerton, £103,000 for a play park in Topcliffe and £45,000 for one in Tollerton.
Some £60,000 will be given to Thirsk and Sowerby Flatts Trust to revamp changing facilities and £50,000 for the Watson Scout Centre, Carlton-in-Cleveland to help replace the Activity Hut and eight-bed dormitory with a
new building.
Northallerton Town Council will be given £40,000 to convert part of the ground floor of the Town Hall into toilets, while Thirsk Primary School MUGA has landed £40,000 towards a multi-use games area.
Easingwold District Community Care Association’s project for a “Man
Shed”, in partnership with the Easingwold Football Club, as a place to meet to reduce social isolation has been given £61,000, while a further £47,000 will be spent on Easingwold Market Place improvements.
However, the county has deferred a decision over Brafferton and Helperby Parish Council’s plan to restore cobbles and overhaul a building at its allotment site until after the unitary council is launched so it can “better understand” the project.
It has rejected Thormanby Parish Meeting’s proposal to install two speed
reminder signs beside the A19, saying it was a responsibility of county council’s highways department, rather than developers, to fund them.
County council executive member for finance, Councillor Gareth Dadd, said: “We have performed our due diligence. Hambleton do have a Community Infrastructure Plan and with qualifications over long-standing schemes and match-funding, they have been approved.
“They have had a strategy document in place for a long time. Any further requests will not be considered until after April 1. ”
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