COUNCILLORS have given the green light to Malton School being given a £1.5 million grant towards the new sports and leisure centre being built in its grounds.

But one member, Coun Paul Andrews says he is concerned that it will see 27 hours a week allocated to pay and play, and 33 hours to clubs.

He said: “It seems the clubs will have a lot of the prime time after 6pm, while pay play is between 5pm and 6pm. It will be difficult for people who are working away from Malton to book a pay and play.”

Coun Andrews said: “The centre should be primarily for pay and play customers, and not clubs.”

However, his bid at last Thursday’s full meeting of Ryedale District Council to have the timings reconsidered by the council’s policy and resources committee was defeated.

He said: “I’m not wanting to delay the building of the sports centre but while it is under construction, discussion should have taken place on the timings.”

The council awarded the grant on condition that the sports centre would be open for public, group and club use during term time and the school holiday, and that the facilities should include a four-court sports hall, a climbing wall, an all-weather pitch and public changing rooms.

The sports centre is expected to cost a total of £2,420,000, and a number of organisations contributing to the cost of the facility, including North Yorkshire County Council, the school and Derwent Sports Association.

Lib Dem group leader Howard Keal said: “At last we have something to celebrate – it has taken more than 30 years but we’ve finally made the start line.”

He added: “It has been a long hard slog to reach this point but it has to be full speed ahead now to make sure not a moment more is lost.

“Having cleared the way for the school to press on, the only other issue to resolve is to ensure there will be good balance between open public access and club access.

“Both sides of the coin are very important and talks will continue to gain maximum benefit for the community when the doors open in 2010.