DURHAM County Cricket Club's debt to Durham County Council has grown to £3.785million, it has been revealed.

The local authority said it would “ensure value for money” for taxpayers in its dealings with the cricket club, which last month refuted claims by former England captain Michael Atherton it could go into administration.

Two years ago a series of special reports by The Northern Echo threw the local authority’s relationship with the cricket club under the spotlight and at that stage £3.1million had been lent by the council.

Since then that figure, in the form of loans, has grown to £4.3million after the cricket club fully drew down on the finance it had been provided with.

Repayments to the local authority mean the current figure stands at £3.7million.

County Councillor John Shuttleworth, who submitted a Freedom of Information request to the authority earlier this year in order to try to establish what was owed, has said the council is “bankrolling” the cricket club and it needs to get its priorities right.

In a statement Ian Thompson, Durham County Council’s corporate director of regeneration and economic development, said: “As part of the council’s ongoing support for Durham County Cricket Club, two separate loans have been made available with a total value of £4.3million.

“One for £1.5million in 2009 – over a 15 year period – and a further loan of £2.8million in 2013, over a 20 year period. Both of these loans were made available at a commercial interest rate and the outstanding amount on the loans is currently £3.785million.”

He added: “Durham County Cricket Club is an extremely valuable part of our county’s and the North-East’s sporting and cultural offer and we very much hope it will continue to deliver the sound economic benefits we have seen linked to international cricket like The Ashes.

“We will continue to work in partnership with the club, but we do need to balance that ambition against the need to ensure value for money for residents on all financial matters.”

The council would not comment on the interest rate payable on the loans, but the Echo understands a rate of 6.5 per cent above the Bank of England base rate was previously agreed on the £2.8million loan.

Recently cricket club chief executive David Harker said he was not “unduly worried” by the extent of its debt, put at between £5million and £6million.

He said: “Our debt has increased over the years but so has investment in the ground, the facilities and our abilities to stage matches like the Ashes.”

The club also said there was no immediate threat to its future.

Aside from the county council, Durham County Cricket Club has also received financial support from the North-East Local Economic Partnership and the England and Wales Cricket Board.