THE need for a part-time town centre manager at Bedale has been identified in a key document designed to help the area win regeneration funding.

Hambleton councillors have been asked to say what response should be given by their authority, in the form of joint funding or technical or administrative help, to some of the 37 suggested projects in a draft action plan drawn up by the Bedale area community investment prospectus steering group.

The projects, some of which are specific while others are only initial ideas at this stage, span economic, community and environmental issues.

Economic projects include improvement and promotion of the weekly market, a feasibility study into the redevelopment of buildings behind Bedale Hall into a business park, an extension to Leeming Bar Industrial Estate, improved signing to Bedale on the A1, the reopening of Bedale railway station and professionally produced town information leaflets.

On the community front, there are suggestions for traffic calming, reorganised parking arrangements, investment in services linked to new housing, CCTV in selected places, research to identify gaps in bus services, a youth cafe and development of opportunities for sport, leisure and play.

Environmental issues include upgrading of ginnels from the car park to the market place, improvements to shop fronts in conjunction with an English Heritage scheme making £60,000 available in the town conservation area over three years, upgrading street furniture and giving the beck a facelift.

The Bedale area CIP group hopes to win money for ten-year prospectuses to make improvements in such areas as transport and education, the environment, crime and disorder.

The Bedale group has already held a site meeting with a representative of Yorkshire Forward to discuss economic projects.

Hambleton community link officer Lisa Bennington, who has been working with the Bedale group, said the draft action plan was the result of extensive consultations including interviews, a two-day exhibition, questionnaires and focus groups to review issues raised and prepare a list of priorities.

She said that, because the SRB programme could fund only 50pc of project costs, the group would have to get money from other sources to enable projects to be delivered.

Ms Bennington said the group had already achieved some "quick wins". It had worked with Hambleton, the town council and the chamber of trade to secure membership of the Yorkshire Dales joint marketing initiative.

Discussions were also taking place with the county council about marking out coach bays in North End, Bedale, and tourism signing on the A1.

Ms Bennington said the steering group would continue to identify projects in consultation with the local community and the action plan would be revised and rolled forward annually.