Museum staff are breathing a sigh of relief because a council has confirmed that it has the money to pay for a new officer to coordinate services in Richmondshire.

The district authority has been without a museums officer since Debbie Snow left for a job at Leeds University a few months ago. Each museum has had to administer its own affairs since.

However, the issue became more complicated when the Green Howards Regimental Museum, in Richmond, announced it would be opting out of the council-run network. It meant that the authority needed an alternative partner to contribute towards the costs of its museum officer's post.

While the hunt went on, Richmondshire Museum, on Richmond's Ryders Wynd, was unable to apply for grants, as only exhibitions supervised by a museums officer qualify for financial aid.

However, the Dales Countryside Museum, in Hawes, has since confirmed it will step into the breach.

"This means the recruitment procedure is now underway," said Councillor John Blackie yesterday.

"We hope we can have a museums officer in post by late summer or early autumn."

Richmondshire Museum spokesman, Angus Goodfellow, welcomed the news.

He said: "The absence of a museums officer has meant we have not been able to complete our registration and, therefore, we have not been able to apply for grants.

"If we can look forward to an end to the problem, it is very good news."