THE extreme weather conditions experienced since the end of September have played havoc with the Council's plans for maintaining outdoor sports facilities.

Programmed re-instatement works on bowling greens have had to be deferred until early next year. Winter rounders has been cancelled for the last two weeks and hardly any football matches from local leagues have been played on park pitches since the end of September.

This situation is not unique to Bolton, large parts of the country are under water with no sign of the weather improving.

The poor summer and winter weather in recent years has contributed to the current situation. However, in an effort to do their best for local footballers the council has, over recent weeks, been assessing and monitoring the condition of every pitch in the borough to try and allow as many games as possible to take place at the same time bearing in mind the need to protect all sports facilities from damage caused through playing in unfit conditions.

The current policy of a blanket call off has been agreed through the football consultative structure. Two weeks ago leagues were contacted to seek their views on a selective call off. This pro-activity did allow a number of matches to take place and it is the council's intention to continue on this basis and seek formal approval at the next consultation meeting on December 5 2000.

Leisure Services is currently consulting with other local authorities in the North West with a view to exchanging information and ideas to improve the quality of sports facilities and equipment and machinery is on stand-by to undertake maintenance work as soon as ground conditions allow.

Councillor John Byrne, Executive Member for Culture said Leisure Services sympathises with all leagues and teams in the borough, we are doing our utmost to get as many matches played as possible. It is encouraging that feedback from the majority of customers indicates that so far we have been making the right decisions!