Chairman Jim May insists he is “quite relaxed” about Sussex’s financial position after the county moved back into the black.

Sussex reported a £1,000 operating profit last year having posted a loss of £139,000 in 2015, accounts released today revealed.

And May is confident the county is heading in the right direction financially after a difficult period with the prospect of returning a “significant” profit this year helped by a one-off ECB payment of £1million.

May said: “It’s a very small operating profit which is satisfactory considering the challenges facing all counties to balance their books.

“I’m quite relaxed about our financial position as we have money in the bank, no external debt and are on course to make a more substantial profit this year.

“It is an improvement but we know that we cannot afford to rest on our laurels. We are still exploring new ways of creating revenue so we can continue to invest in what I believe is the best non-Test ground in the country, putting a successful team on the pitch and growing the game of cricket at all levels across the county.”

Sussex’s membership income fell by 8% last year and matchday ticket sales were also down due to missing out on a home quarter-final in the NatWest T20 Blast.

That was offset by rental income from new office space built at the north east corner of the ground together with an increase in non-matchday income.

When depreciation of the club’s assets - mainly the redeveloped County Ground at Hove - is taken into account Sussex made a loss of £488,000.

May has revealed Sussex still have “in excess of £1million” left in the bank from the £12million left to them by Spen Cama when he died in 2001.

The county are also pursuing options to redevelop The Cricketers pub when its lease expires in 2019 along with other buildings at the southern end of the ground and are due to receive an additional £2million in funding from the ECB over the next four-year cycle.

Counties have also been promised a further £1.3million from the ECB to offset the impact of the proposed new Twenty20 competition which will be voted on by chairman and chief executives next month.