Archive - Tuesday, 3 February 2004


Find by date

Other ways to search

Also look for

Never miss anything again. Sign up for our RSS news feeds and Newsletters.

Cash blow for sports project

HOPES to improve a rundown sports pavilion in Monmouth have been dashed after SPORTLOT cut the funding for the project.

Monmouth's Sports Association's bid to improve their pavilion on the Chippenham sports ground have been dashed by organisation who are diverting all capital project funding towards the 2012 Olympic bid.

Spokesman for Monmouth Sports Association Byron Hapgood said: "Obviously we are disappointed with SPORTLOT's decision especially as the pavilion is in dire need of remodelling and improve changing for all the sports that take place on the Chippenham.

"The Sports Council had in principal agreed the funding for our £220,000 project, but was subject to obtaining Village Green approval from the Welsh Assembly.

"This extended delay in obtaining permission caused us to miss out on initial funding and were asked to re-apply. And now we have been told that SPORTLOT have diverted all their funding away from capital projects and are supporting the 2012 Olympic bid instead."

Mike Moran the council's leisure and recreation manager told members of Monmouth Town Council at Monday's meeting that because of the large fall off in lottery ticket sales, the Sports Council announced that it was not accepting any further applications for the time being.

He said: "One option open to us is to reduce the size and scope of the project down to a level that can be achieved from within the available funding from the Association and from the County Council.

"The council has £77,000 available from the 2003/04 capital budget to contribute towards this scheme.

"A scheme costing around £100,000 could be built depending on the outcome of current internal discussions with other officers and elected members.

"It is both unfortunate and a little ironic that, having obtained the Village Green consent from the Welsh Assembly Government, the Association has now been disadvantaged due to the fall off in lottery revenues.

"However, we remain optimistic that at least some of the important improvements may be possible, if the scope of the scheme is capable of being reduced."

Members of Monmouth Sports Association will be holding a meeting next week to discuss the best way to take the Pavilion project forward.