THE multi-use games area which will be created on the King George V playing fields in Colne will receive the majority of its funding from the council's capital programme.

Councillors on the Colne and district committee agreed that £30,500 would be allocated to the development of the area. The estimated cost, including floodlights, is £59,600.

Initially a two-phase approach was suggested. Phase one would have been the laying out of the hard surface in 2002-3 at a cost of £16,000. Phase two, the rest of the work, would have been the subject of a bid to the 2003-4 programme.

The phase one money was eventually rolled forward into 2003-4 and a bid of £13,500 was submitted to the Community Safety Partnership's steering group on April 14.

It was agreed that the scheme be supported in principle and that further consideration be deferred to the next meeting to enable details of costs and other funding streams to be obtained.

Coun Alan Davies said: "The play area is in the most central point for all properties in the area. It is fairly adjacent to the existing play area but this is one level up so it is screened by trees and bushes. The kids are always telling us we don't do anything for them. We have to solve that problem. The King George V playing fields is the only place in Horsfield this can go."

He moved that £30,500 be allocated to the multi-use games area, £5,000 for town centre grants, £2,000 for heritage lighting in Lancaster Street, Colne, £10,000 for the Market Towns Initiative, £2,000 towards the Up4It stage, £6,000 contribution towards traffic calming, £3,000 for Alkincoats Park, which will either be used for the renovation of the bandstand or to provide goalposts for children's summer holiday activities and anti-dog fencing.

This would leave £7,720 to be allocated at a later date.