Sir, – As a former member of Brompton Village Hall committee, serving for 15 years with ten years spent as secretary and treasurer, I feel I must reply to the criticism levelled at my colleagues about the decision, taken at a full committee meeting, to advise the villagers about the problems facing the committee in keeping the village hall going.

These problems included greater outgoings than income, a 130-year-old building in need of major refurbishment, a qualified surveyor’s report stating that the wooden part of the building was structurally suspect and no way of gaining grants for refurbishment.

Grants for new projects have been available, however, and, as a result of the hard work of the committee, have resulted in new, more accessible toilet facilities, a new kitchen area, new energy efficient lighting and refurbishment of the upstairs committee room. To meet changes in legislation emergency facilities and disabled access have been improved.

New seating and furniture have also been obtained and the building repainted by the probation service. It should be noted that the toilet facilities are open to the public on carnival days, providing the only public facilities in the village.

Unfortunately, our bid for national lottery money to refurbish the hall was rejected, as it did not meet the criteria required.

From this catalogue you can see that the committee have not been idly letting the hall to go pieces.

The committee’s decision to bring the state of the hall to parishioners’ attention has had the desired effect in raising the awareness of the difficulties faced in running the hall on behalf of the villagers of Brompton.

I wish the new committee members every success in their future running of the hall and hope that the current enthusiasm from villagers does not revert to the general apathy endured by the previous committee.

DOUGLAS RUDD L’Espec Street, Northallerton