A PROPOSED study into the building of a sports centre and athletics track in the Malton and Norton area has been delayed.

Coun Elizabeth Shields wanted up to £50,000 earmarked out of Ryedale District Council's new £500,000 community investment fund (CIF) - but fellow councillors said it should be up to the fund's own panel to make the decision.

She said the issue of building a sports hall, without a swimming pool, had been on Ryedale's agenda since 1979.

There were, said Coun Shields, three possible sites - Norton College, Malton School and land adjoining the rugby and cricket clubs, but she acknowledged that there would be archaeological considerations.

She believed there was growing demand from people of all ages for a sports hall, but especially by the younger generation.

The head of Malton School, David Roberts, had welcomed the prospect.

Coun Lindsay Burr said the cost of the study could be reduced by using information from the previous survey. She said Sport England had highlighted Malton and Norton as an area where there was an unmet demand for sports facilities.

But Coun Richard Murray-Wells said Helmsley sports centre, which needed modernising, had been told that the district council would not take the lead, and asked why Helmsley should be treated any differently from Malton and Norton.

Coun Linda Cowling said the £500,000 in the CIF had been a rebate on the rates of Ryedale House, the council's headquarters.

Coun Robert Wainwright, chairman of the policy and resources committee, said he was concerned that the council was appearing to dictate to the CIF panel, which was to administer the fund.

Updated: 09:16 Saturday, June 28, 2003