AN EMPTY Bedale shop will find a temporary new use next week as local people are asked to say what their community needs over the next ten years.

The former Molly Auton shop next to the Waggon and Horses pub in the market place is the venue for two consultation days to try to win regeneration money for the area.

The first drop-in day on Tuesday coincides with the weekly market, and local people will have another chance on Saturday, February 23, to feed their views into an action plan being prepared by consultants. Both days are from 9am-2.30.

The action plan, due to be completed by the end of March, is funded by the Countryside Agency "vital villages" scheme, Yorkshire Forward and Hambleton council.

It will form an important element in a Bedale area community investment prospectus to be submitted in an attempt to win a share of £7.1m available in North Yorkshire from the Government's single regeneration budget.

Business Environments, a consultancy based at Warrington, is working with local people and public sector agencies to produce a "health check" of the Bedale area. The work has been commissioned by Hambleton and the steering group working towards the CIP.

In considering the role played by Bedale in delivering services to residents, businesses and visitors, Business Environments will identify what improvements are needed and how they could be achieved.

The health check includes public transport, the environment, housing and health services, shopping and community services, car parking, tourism, leisure, employment and the economy.

At the two drop-in days, analysis of answers to questionnaires sent out in Bedale, Aiskew, Leeming Bar and Scruton will enable regeneration experts including Peter Crompton, of Business Environments, to expand and focus on the needs expressed so far.

Rhona Pringle, of Hambleton economic development department, said the aim of the drop-in days was to continue raising awareness of the CIP process.

"It is also to find out what people want for their community over the next ten years. The questionnaires give an idea of the sort of concerns people have and the drop-in days will focus on that information."

Mr Crompton said he had walked round Bedale to get a feel for its character and issues and had met various local organisations.

He had collected reports and consultatations relating to economic, transport, social and environmental issues, and had attended the Leeming Bar Industrial Estate Forum to discuss business issues. Meetings had also been held or were planned with RAF Leeming, the local enterprise agency Business Solutions Bedale, the Wensleydale Railway Company, the county council and the markets officer at Hambleton.

l Coun Mike Barningham, chairman of the Bedale area CIP steering group, will give evidence to the next meeting on March 7 of Hambleton environment and economy scrutiny committee.

The committee is examining the economic viability of market towns, with special reference to Bedale, and asking whether council policies are working as they should.