A Moray councillor has warned that scaled-back plans for football pitches in Elgin will not be enough to satisfy demand in the town.
Leisure bosses at Moray Council have revised proposals to open three pitches and changing rooms at Deanshaugh due to cost.
The changes mean there will only be one new pitch created, with proposals for the construction of a pavilion abandoned.
A decision about the future of the football fields was delayed last month after the local authority was accused of betraying sports clubs with the revisions.
And yesterday, Elgin City North councillor Patsy Gowans insisted there was enough demand from youngsters in the town to fill three pitches at the park, which has not been used for games since 2005.
She said: “There has never been any mention of the pavilion not being able to go ahead due to a lack of affordability until now.
“It’s a shame because we really need grass pitches in Elgin. What I hear from parents is that they have to go outside the town for games. I have heard a lot of complaints about this.”
A report for Wednesday’s full council by Graham Jarvis, the council’s head of lifelong learning, culture and sport, has warned there will be “little demand” for the pitch without bookings.
The council officer also claimed the authority’s finances were now under greater scrutiny from the Scottish Government.
It is expected 3G pitches will be open at the new Elgin High School and Moray Sports Centre in 2019 with another to follow in Lossiemouth by 2021.
But some locals believe that the problem needs to be addressed now and not in three or five years.
