RYEDALE District Council will not express an interest in hosting a Tour de Yorkshire start or finish line - citing the cost of doing so.

At a meeting of the authority's policy and resources committee on Thursday, members had been recommended to submit an expression of interest in hosting a stage start or finish in the next few years from 2020.

Officers recommended members approve an expression of interest in hosting in 2021, due to the benefits the event brings.

In a report they said: "The Tour de Yorkshire is a significant direct economic driver; it raises the profile of the region, its towns, villages and communities on a national and international level; it provides an opportunity for business and community engagement; and it can help inspire people to take up more active lifestyles."

But it added that there are also costs, both for hosting and staging. For example, for hosting the combined Men’s and Women’s races the fee is £125,000.

Other costs including traffic management, stewarding, security, barriers, welfare facilities and promotion might add a further £50,000 to £60,000 to this sum.

Members were decidedly frosty towards the idea.

Cllrs Lindsay Burr and Steve Arnold both said they had spoken to local traders on previous occasions when the Tour has passed through the district and had been told there is little increase in spend.

Cllr Joy Andrews said that the benefits are longer term, but that hosting the event might cause traffic chaos on May Bank Holiday weekend.

Cllr Burr added that Welcome to Yorkshire's deadline of June 14 was a "short deadline" to decide.

Cllr Simon Thackray questioned if other councils are reviewing their relationship to Welcome to Yorkshire following the expenses and behaviour scandals, currently under investigation, of their former boss Gary Verity.

And Cllr Keane Duncan concluded: "I'm not sure that £185,000 is value for money."

The committee voted against expressing an interest in hosting 9 votes with one abstention.