The news was delivered to the sports council at this month’s regular meeting with a Glen Severn council representative encouraging them to apply for donations rather than grants.

Sports council Secretary Julie Fuller said the council was being disingenuous.

“The council was granting the 14 clubs within the sports council a total of $7500 that we then distributed amongst the clubs, now they are saying we should ask for a donation which we believe is a maximum of $500, no genuine maintenance, or repairs can be carried out for that kind of money and they know that,” she said.

“The Glen Severn council list the playing grounds as assets, all we want to do is maintain, repair and improve council land, but to be serious each club would need about $10,000, we aren’t asking for that.

“We are not asking the council to carry us, we are asking them to work with us, but they seem to not want to do that.”

Sports council President Howard Whan was fuming at the perceived snub from council and said he feels the council are trying to “kill sport” in Glen Innes.

“The Glen Innes council seems to be anti-sport compared to other towns, for example Inverell has spent $3 million on their sports grounds and both the sports council and the council work together to promote sport in Inverell,” he said.

“Rate payers put money into the council and they expect to get a bit of a kick back for their children to have decent sporting ovals to play on, locals don’t want to support the mayoral luncheon, they’d prefer to have well-funded sporting bodies.”

Glen Innes Severn Council General Manager Hein Basson said they are encouraging the sports council to apply for sports grants off their own bat.

“We have made money available over a large number of years to them and this is in initiative from the council to try and get the sports council to stand up for themselves.

“We are not anti-sport we have actually put forward proposals for state government grants for the further development of sporting fields in Glen Innes and our master plan is available for the public to view at the Church Street offices.”

“However, the budget plan is on public display and it is only a draft budget so if the sports council feel they can’t function without these grants then I encourage them to make a submission to council which council will consider before we adopt a final budget and operational plan.”