PROJECTS in Bedale, North-allerton, Easingwold, Ripon and Richmondshire are among the first to benefit from funds generated by a reduction in the council tax discount on second homes in North Yorkshire.

The county council has established a £1.9m fund to support local projects, £200,000 of which is available as grants to community organisations. The rest is being used to support projects identified by local partnerships.

Money is being allocated to local partnerships in proportion to the council tax collected from each of the county's seven districts.

In Hambleton, the first year's funding includes a total of £15,000 to the district council for a loans scheme for small businesses, improvements to ginnels in Bedale and a feasibility study for a one-stop shop in Easingwold bringing together a range of services. Each project receives £5,000.

Northallerton Town Council has been given £9,000 towards a town centre manager.

Ripon City Partnership receives £10,000 for a mobile CCTV camera to target trouble spots and help police gather evidence. Ripon Citizens' Advice Bureau gets £7,200 to improve access to central and local government information through computers and the internet.

In Richmondshire, £10,000 is being given to support a childcare project in the upper dales, £40,000 to the district council to help bring broadband telecommunications services to Reeth, £25,000 to a childcare project in Catterick Village, £11,000 to Wheels2Work, which lends mopeds to young people seeking job opportunities, and £5,000 to Richmond YMCA, which gives advice and support to the young living in temporary accommodation.

A1 Community Works, a club working towards access to inexpensive cars for people who have difficulty in affording private transport in Richmond, Leyburn, Catterick and Catterick Garrison, receives £50,000.

* See leading article,

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