Richmond MP William Hague has urged council chiefs to look at other ways of funding a new £4.5m headquarters.

Richmondshire District Council had proposed to sell two Richmond car parks to pay for new headquarters in Colburn.

But the plan caused a public outcry. The council will decide how to fund the move at a meeting on June 22.

In a letter to Richmondshire District Council chief executive Harry Tabiner, Mr Hague said it would be inadvisable of the authority to sell the car parks.

Mr Hague said he had received a large number of letters from residents opposed to the sale of the assets.

He said: "I hope that these strong local feelings will be fully borne in mind by the council when making any decision about the future of these sites.

"It would not be advisable for any council to run its affairs in defiance of such strong and perfectly rational feelings."

In response, Mr Tabiner said the only option was to either sell assets or borrow money, which would lead to a council tax rise.