A LONG-AWAITED scheme to boost leisure facilities in Horwich is almost at the starting block.

Cash from developers who built on the former RMI football ground has finally been paid into town hall coffers.

Now Horwich councillors Barbara and Bob Ronson want Bolton town hall to get debate on how best to spend the money up and running.

And improving school playing field facilities is one of the options they believe should be put near top of the possible shopping list.

Developers Fairclough promised the council about £100,000 to boost leisure facilities in Horwich when they won controversial planning permission to build 68 houses on the former RMI football ground.

A seven-strong committee was set up in 1994 to discuss how the money should be spent but it has met only a handful of times.

Liberal Democrats on the council say developers Fairclough have finally paid the last instalments on the deal. And they say the kitty could prove an answer to local schools who claim they have problems finding football pitches for team games.

Some schools have told the councillors they cannot afford the all-weather pitch and claim they need fields near to the school buildings.

Cllr Bob Ronson said: "It seems ludicrous that we have a state of the art pitch for professional football at one end of the town while schools in Horwich are struggling for somewhere to play team games.

"One of the aspects of school life considered by the Inspectors is provision for sport and in Horwich we are falling short of the requirements."

Developing Slater's Field for the pupils at Horwich Parish Church is one of the options being suggested.

"The cricket club offer facilities for young people on their field for cricket and rounders but decent football pitches are in short supply.

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