ASSURANCES have been sought about the future of £150,000 earmarked for sports provision at Richmond School if a leisure trust is established.

Richmondshire District Council hopes to hand over its leisure facilities - Richmond swimming pool and dual use sports provision at the school - to a trust this summer.

Supporters say this will lead to better facilities, as a trust could have access to funding sources denied to local authorities. Opponents claim the authority, which this month closed Richmond Sports Centre in spite of heavy public opposition, is merely seeking to cut costs.

Some councillors were concerned at what would happen to cash already allocated to improvements in provision at the school, where sports facilities are open to the public as well as students. Coun Stuart Parsons, the Mayor of Richmond and a district council member, asked if the cash would be transferred to the trust.

Leisure officer Geoff Thompson said existing facilities only would pass to the trust but, if further development took place, talks would be held with trustees to see if they wanted to take on the extra provision.

Coun Parsons told the full council meeting on Monday: "It sounds like we are amputating the body and passing it over in bits. This will be called Richmondshire Leisure Trust and should handle all the leisure activities in the district."

Coun John Blackie, council leader, said annual consultation would take place between the trust and the council. If dual use provision was improved, discussions would be held between the school and the trust.

"The £150,000 was allocated to dual use, but it doesn't have to be part of the Richmondshire Leisure Trust to be dual use," said Coun Blackie.

It was confirmed that a second public consultation meeting about the establishment of the trust would be held.