RESIDENTS in a fishing village on the North Yorkshire coast are being urged to come forward with ideas about how more than £1m can be spent in their community.

The Single Regeneration Budget money for Staithes and Hinderwell amounts to £1.1m, but with matched funding and money from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) for harbour works, the total comes to more than £5m.

The money, from the regional development agency Yorkshire Forward, lasts for three years and forms the Spirit of Staithes Regeneration Initiative.

The money has already started to be distributed, with the two local primary schools, Seton at Staithes, and Oakridge at Hinderwell, receiving £30,000 and £20,000 respectively to develop IT units.

Carl Duck, assistant economic development officer with Scarborough Borough Council, said the projects were all business, environmental and community-based.

They could include speed restrictions on the A174 through the two villages and the development of a resource centre in Staithes, with training facilities, offices and possibly a gallery and workshop.

A meeting takes place next Friday, at Staithes Memorial Hall between 10am and 4pm, for people to express their ideas.