RURAL towns and parishes are being beseiged by regeneration initiatives, claimed Coun Lord Feversham at Helmsley Town Council this week.

Action for Market Towns (AMT), the new Market Towns Renaissance (MTR) and Community Investment Prospectus were each being targeted on such towns as Helmsley, he said, adding: "The Government seems incapable of having one rural policy and instead spews out initiative after initiative.

"We don't know which avenue to pursue."

The council deferred a final decision on joining the new AMT for Yorkshire and the Humber, launched last week at Thirsk, pending a meeting to be held in Helmsley on the MTR, when members of the regeneration team will be in the town to meet community and business leaders.

Lord Feversham said: "We should go along and see what they have in mind and encourage them to spend it in Helmsley."

Coun John Buffoni said it was vital that towns provided quality facilities to attract visitors, but he warned against Ryedale District Council imposing high car parking charges when Hambleton District Council had free parking in such places as Thirsk and Northallerton.

Lord Feversham added: "We have always said that people lost out to the Hambleton towns. We are bled white because RDC sees parking as a big money-earner."

A planning blueprint for Helmsley is essential, the council agreed. However, manpower would be needed to bring it to reality, said Lord Feversham.

Coun Martin Vander Weyer said it was important that Helmsley residents and the town authority had control of the overall plan.

He said the council agreed to pay nearly £400 to the trustees of the cemetery for grass cutting, work on gravestones and tree pruning, while some utility companies - such as gas, water, electricity boards, highways and other departments - will have to be consulted over plans by the council to beautify Helmsley.

Town clerk John Dale said approval had to be obtained before a seat could be sited near the bridge and a small wall for flower beds was built. The council wants to carry out the improvements to enhance its bid to win its class in next year's Yorkshire in Bloom contest

Approval is still awaited for the cycle racks which the council wants to provide near the NatWest Bank in the Market Place, said Mr Dale. He added that the council could not get a grant towards its original scheme because the racks would have been mounted on a wall. Instead it was now planned to provide stronger racks, fixed to the ground, but the cost would be twice as much.

Updated: 10:35 Wednesday, November 26, 2003