COMMUNITY resource centres are to be developed in Whitby and Knaresborough.

Gordon Gresty, North Yorkshire County Council's director of business and community services, said in a report to the executive next week that the Whitby centre will be developed at the existing library and information centre in Windsor Street in a £500,000 scheme.

The ground floor is to be extended and an upstairs extension provided on the garage of the present building.

The development will provide a department for children, an Internet cafe, interview room with video links, meeting room and refurbishment of the library.

Mr Gresty said that the centre will provide information on all county council services.

At Knaresborough, a similar sum is to be spent on providing a centre, also at the library.

It will have an Internet cafe, meeting rooms, children's library, new-look general library and reception area. A key part of the work will be to enhance the front of the building.

"The removal of interior walls will enable a large, bright and open planned area to be developed," said Mr Gresty.

The schemes are part of a three-year capital plan to provide community resource centres.

A total of £2.8m has been allocated for schemes in the current financial year.