Powys County Council slammed for Welshpool football pitch crisis

The stark warning was issued by Welshpool Town Junior Club chairman Vaughan Harding who revealed the club had been forced to reduce its number of teams this season which affects approximately 60 children.

Harding hit out at Powys County Council for failing to deliver promises to provide replacement facilities for Salop Fields which has been claimed as the site of a new primary school.

Harding insisted the one pitch remaining was not suitable and only the club’s primary school age grade sides would be able to use remaining land having lost three senior pitches since work on the new school began earlier this year.

Vaughan Harding and Welshpool Town Junior Football Club members meet former Wales manager Chris Coleman.

The lack of facilities has forced the club to cull four sides from its set-up while its remaining sides will be forced to play home matches in neighbouring villages.

Harding said: “We feel so let down by Powys County Council (PCC). We warned the council over the past 18 months we would need replacement facilities but instead we have been left homeless with teams of boys and girls not playing sport.

“The season starts this weekend and Welshpool’s teams will have to play outside the town just as we were assured would not be the case.”

Harding hit out at the council’s claims to have provided new playing facilities and described the fields allocated at both sites as “too small” for use.

“We told the council there are minimum sizes set out in the rules for pitches for teenage children and none of the alternatives provided are big enough.

“It is a massive problem,” said Harding. “Welshpool High School has produced so many top level athletes over the years and now have no sports field while its teams will have to play all its games away from home which will cost the school financially.

“I recall the school were made promises for a new football pitch but, again, nothing has happened.

Harding revealed a majority of sports clubs from the town have formed a community sports group and are calling for Welshpool to have a 3G or 4G facility.

“Powys County Council sent a FAW development manager to look at a site behind Maesydre School and believe it could be developed into a fantastic facility but the land is jointly owned by both Powys County Council and Welshpool Town Council who do not seem any nearer to agreeing a plan.”

Harding believed such a development has long been needed to serve Welshpool’s sports community.

“Maesydre is home to two senior football sides who have reserve teams and one youth team as well as the cricket and rugby clubs,” said Harding.

“The Town Council have offered limited help by giving our sides use of one of the fields but they are not going to find replacement pitches for those displaced and Powys County Council has not tried to resolve the problem with the Town Council.

“It is up to Powys County Council to find a solution to the problem they created and work with the Town Council and community.”

Powys County Council insisted it was aware of the problem with town council owned pitches currently used to full capacity.

However it refuted claims the pitches provided were too small for use.

The council also plans to continue ist £800,000 investment to improve sports facilities at Welshpool High School, including improved grass pitches.

A spokesman said: “Powys County Council consulted with groups, clubs and high school on the loss of the playing fields and have looked at various options to compensate the community for the loss of grass pitches.

“Welshpool is constrained in terms of land with the town council fields already being used to capacity.

“We have expanded the field at Salop Fields to 90m by 45m, the minimum size required for a football pitch, after discussions with Welshpool High School and ensures that they are able to use the pitch for sports while the new primary school is being built.

“We believe this pitch would be big enough to host junior football games.

“We are also upgrading facilities at Welshpool High School to enable more frequent usage of grass pitches while the Welshpool Church in Wales School governors have also agreed to work with clubs to allow access to the grass pitch at Maesydre.”