Over the nine years since the agreement was formed in 1999, the authority has donated £300,000 towards the centre, an initial £100,000 and then around £25,000 a year towards the cost of staffing, visitor education and information.

But the authority feels it has not got its money’s worth from the arrangement and proposes donating the cash to other causes.

A report to its access and information committee members stated that neither they nor the National Trust were happy with the way their image had been promoted at the centre.

The national park had not been consulted when the National Trust extended its retail area at the centre and claimed they should have given them 24 months’ notice of it.

As a result, some of the national park’s interpretive area was lost and it had taken until this Easter to re-erect their only information panel.

The authority also pointed out in the report a permanent exhibition at the centre was now “tired” and needs redeveloping but it would be at a substantial cost.

If the partnership with the National Trust is renewed next year it will be asked to contribute to it.

Instead, the members are to be asked at their meeting on Monday if they want to end the partnership when the agreement finishes in June next year after making the final payment next April.

However, if the members want to continue supporting the visitor centre a new agreement with the National Trust will be needed.

If they agree to end the partnership, the £25,000 a year could be given to other projects along the coast or in the national park to help raise the profile of the work the national park authority carries out.

In that case, the North York Moors Railway could benefit for its learning and education centre at Pickering Station as well as the Ryedale Folk Museum at Hutton-le-Hole – both were quoted as possible projects for the national park authority’s future cash support.