MEMBERS of Ryedale District Council have agreed to ring-fence £2million of funding for local projects, along with an increase in council tax.

At a budget meeting of the authority last Thursday, members voted to allocate £1.5m to support the development of a new livestock market, £200,000 for community projects in Pickering and £307,000 for the Milton Rooms in Malton.

A second meeting to be held this Thursday will see councillors consider a proposal to give £193,000 to the Milton Rooms for building improvements.

If agreed, this would make a total potential investment of half a million pounds.

Cllr Lindsay Burr (Ind, Malton) said: “Last Thursday myself and the majority of councillors, except the Conservative group and Ryedale First councillors, voted to support ring fencing £307,000 to support the Milton Rooms management committee to undertake significant improvements to this extremely popular Ryedale facility.

“The district council’s money could be taken away by the new authority, so we need to ensure tax-payers’ money is spent on local people and community facilities.

“I have worked extremely closely with the Milton Rooms management committee, who all agreed that I should try to secure £500,000.”

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