A VILLAGE hall volunteer has begged his parish council for support in staving off a financial crisis which "threatens the hall's very existence."

Brian Blackburn is project manager of the Montalbo Village Hall and Recreational Charity, which is responsible for Gainford Village Hall along with other facilities in the village.

Within the charity's remit is the maintenance of the tennis courts, which were upgraded two years ago with grants of £11,656.

However, Mr Blackburn asked Gainford and Langton Parish Council to support a retrospective claim to Teesdale District Council for the release of up to £4,000 it is holding as part of a commuted payment paid by housing developers in lieu of children's play areas.

"If you truly want to support then please don't obstruct," he pleaded on several occasions. "It won't cost you anything. If you don't you'll be letting down the community, frankly."

But while sympathetic to the plight, the chairman, Coun Wendy Withers, said: "I feel uncomfortable with supporting a retrospective application for the tennis courts when everyone knows it's going to the central heating fund because that's where the need is now.

"I feel I'm being asked to lie because the money is not going to be used for its stated purpose. That's what I find difficult."

She also pointed out that the tennis courts could only be used by private members, of which she was one, so either way the application did not fit the spirit of the commuted payment cash.

All councillors were minded to help where they could, and agreed to release a donation of £500 from their annual budget.

Coun Newman Smith said Teesdale District Council was the arbiter, while the parish council was running round in the dark, so after a lengthy debate it was agreed that he draft a further letter to the district council asking for a definitive answer to the criteria question.

Principal planning officer Trevor Watson later told the D&S Times that, while the ultimate decision might not be up to him, he felt it would be inappropriate to use the money for maintenance and upkeep of existing services.