A MULTI-million pound sports scheme lost out on lottery cash because it did not include enough sporting facilities, shocked councillors have been told.

Ribble Valley Council had planned a flagship scheme to take sport in the area into the millennium, securing jobs and first-rate facilities.

It was planned to turn Roefield Leisure Centre, Ribblesdale Swimming Pool and Clitheroe Tennis Centre, all in Edisford Road, into one big complex. The project was considered "vital" and council officials pledged to provide the Ribble Valley with a sports complex "as good as any in East Lancashire."

But they were left stunned when lottery officials said their bid for 90 per cent of the £3 million cost of the scheme had not come up to scratch. The scheme was described as "not strategically important" and offering "poor value for money." Ribble Valley Council's community committee heard that officers had met lottery bosses to discuss the scheme's rejection.

"We were told there had been nothing fundamentally wrong with the bid and the business and sports development plans were particularly strong," commercial services director John Heap told the meeting.

"The main weakness was the amount of non-sporting facilities in the scheme. Although it was agreed that cafes, bars, shops and creches are an integral part of schemes, because of limited funds they have been deemed a low priority in funding terms."

Councillors were asked to consider resubmitting the bid with a scaling down of non-sporting facilities or a series of smaller bids for different sporting facilities.

They asked officers to investigate which was the best option and report back.

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