COMMUNITY groups are set to miss out on crucial funding to pay for projects in their area because of the slashing of Yorkshire Forward’s budget.

Yorkshire Forward faces at least £14m in budget cuts for 2010-11 owing to Government funding cuts and it means the groups it supports will also miss out.

The problem is Yorkshire Forward may have to slash its Renaissance Market Town funds that supports the groups, in order to cover the budget shortfall.

Among the groups affected are Thirsk Regeneration Initiative (TRI) and Richmond Swale Valley Community Initiative (RSVCI).

The groups have carried out several major schemes, like trying to improve Thirsk railway station’s disabled access and the Station project in Richmond.

Peter Walker, chairman of the Thirsk group, hoped it would not affect the group’s work.

He said: “We have to look at where the money is coming from and we’re looking at members of the public standing up and saying I’ll help.

“I think everyone would recognise that many of the TRI projects paid for by the Renaissance Market Town funds were cosmetic and didn’t give the taxpayer value for money.

“But all of the projects TRI is involved with, which are already running, will be completed and we’re very proud of what we have achieved.”

He said there may be other avenues of funding open to TRI to carry on its work.

The TRI group has no plans to disband and among its continuing schemes is one to keep Thirsk tourist information centre open in the town.

Mr Walker said several plans were being spoken about in regard to the information centre.

Colin Grant, Richmond town manager and an RSVCI member, said the cuts would not stop it operating.

He said: “We are hopeful we are going to get some future amount of investment from Yorkshire Forward but they are having cutbacks.

“This will not stop us from operating but we have benefited from Yorkshire Forward funding and obviously we are sad to see this happening.

“We have used investment from Yorkshire Forward to carry out projects like the Station and the Georgian Theatre Royal.”

The RSVCI was founded in 2003 by a merging of the Richmond Partnership and the Richmond Town Centre Forum.

A Yorkshire Forward spokesman said: “We have already had £14m cut form our budget owing to Government spending cuts this year alone.

“We are looking into what finances we will have for the year 2010-11. The probability is that we won’t be able to commit to any funding for the coming year, but we won’t know until October 20.”