FOLLOWING failed attempts to secure funding for urgent development work on a Grade II listed building, a council has been forced to dip into money already set aside for other projects.

Richmond Town Council clerk Peter Clarke said the council was struggling to find the cash to improve disabled facilities at the town hall and the crisis had called for desperate measures.

Funds have already had to be taken from reserves intended for restoration of the town hall and market hall roofs to enable phase one of the £55,000 works to be carried out.

"We have to improve our disabled access by 2005 and this includes installing a lift and putting disabled toilet facilities on the ground floor," said Mr Clarke.

The town council has applied for funding from the lottery, Yorventure and the district council without success.

It will learn on Monday whether an application for £5,000 to the North Yorkshire County Council Richmondshire area committee is successful.

"We assumed that we would have got funding for this kind of project quite easily, but now we are struggling," said Mr Clarke.

He said that there was slight concern that this lack of funding would have the knock-on effect with another much larger project that would need tackling relatively soon.

"Trinity Tower in the market place needs repairing and repointing, which will cost about £150,000," said Mr Clarke.

"Because it is a Grade I listed building we are hoping that we receive funding from English Heritage but, as we have recently learned, it isn't a certainty."

The town council is appealing to the public and local businesses to help contribute towards the town hall costs. For more information contact Mr Clarke on (01748) 850808.