SIR, That there have been many responses to our letter, and the front page article (Bicester Advertiser, October 10) regarding the provision of additional sporting facilities in Bicester, shows there is much interest in the subject.

Since publication we have had discussions with the Bicester Sports Association (BSA), Cherwell District Council, the Bicester Cricket, Hockey and Rugby Clubs. Bicester Football Club is in abeyance at the moment having been excluded from the Oxford Road ground.

We are grateful for their time and re-state that we do not wish to rake over the past but to take these discussions forward.

BSA is a misunderstood and much maligned organisation, possibly of their own making, but should be congratulated in starting from scratch 20 years ago to have developed an excellent range of facilities at Chesterton, two cricket pitches, three rugby pitches and approximately eight junior and mini football pitches plus a club house and changing rooms. They are of good quality and have been provided at no expense to the public purse.

They are managed by the BSA trustees, who give freely of their own time. It should be noted that the cricket club no longer has any original members from North Oxford Cricket Club from the time of the amalgamation and all the current players are Bicester based. Several hundred young people are enjoying these facilities every weekend, surely a credit to the BSA.

Our original proposal that the BSA could supply some funding to meet the shortfall on the Bicester Sports Village is not possible as the BSA inform us that whatever capital they have left from the development at Chesterton is invested to provide income to meet the difference in their running costs and the contributions they receive from the clubs.

We have no reason to doubt the integrity of this information, but have not been allowed to inspect their accounts.

BSA is a private trust, this gives rise to misguided speculation, one suggestion is that they create a website and put the Trust Deed in public view so that the complexities of that document can be better understood.

There is also frustration between the BSA and clubs over the type of their occupation in that BSA will not grant them a lease on their pavilion, meaning that they miss the opportunity of applying for grants to improve their facilities. Maybe some further thought can be given to this issue.

The Bicester Sports Village is an ambitious plan being developed by Cherwell to meet the deficit of sports facilities in the town. Forty acres in the Kingsmere development has been identified, most of the area has already been levelled and seeded to provide three senior rugby/football, two senior football and one junior football pitches for which there is an existing demand together with a cricket square this is called Phase 1, costing Cherwell £0.804m and will be ready for playing in 2015. Phase 2 a large clubhouse and changing accommodation plus car park costing £2.53m funded by CDC £1.146m and developer contributions £1.386m.

Taking Phase 1 and 2 together, CDC are putting in £1.950m from their capital programme – surely a fair and significant amount when judged against the needs of the whole district.

Phase 3, athletics track, tennis courts, artificial pitch and floodlighting costing £2.300m is not funded and represents the shortfall reported. Possible sources of funding are a major grant for the artifical pitch by a National Body, contributions from whatever educational establishment to be built on the adjoining site and further developer contributions from other sites in Bicester, possibly the extension of the Kingsmere development.

This is obviously frustrating, but CDC are working hard to find the necessary funds.

Bicester Town Council also provide football pitches around the town, currently five pitches and two pavilions, with the rents being subsidised by the council tax. The town council are being asked to fund any shortfall in the cost of operating of the Bicester Sports Village as local sports pitches which would be a significant challenge for them and one we hope they would welcome.

In conclusion, we hope that BSA and CDC can between them provide sufficient new facilities for the growing desire of people to take part in sports. We also suggest that they work towards having a major pitch for each sport, so that clubs gaining promotion can continue in their leagues. Bicester is a growing town and should have the ambition to produce a higher standard of sports for those young players who wish to be involved.

Charles Shouler, retired county councillor; Michael Waine, county councillor