A FORMAL policy on football pitch provision is set to be agreed by Malvern Town Council to ensure clubs are in no doubt of what facilities are on offer.

The council, which provides pitches at Victoria Park, Lower Howsell and Dukes Meadow, came under criticism from Malvern Rangers FC recently for its decision to lift, re-seed and rest the pitch at Victoria Park, meaning it cannot be used this season.

The club argued that other pitches in the town do not have facilities to meet Football Association requirements, such as a post and rail.

On Tuesday (September 14) members of the town council’s operations committee will be asked to consider the adoption of an official ‘football pitch policy’.

As well as laying out exactly what will and will not be provided, the policy states that the same standard of facilities will be offered in the three venues, and that no club will be offered better facilities than another.

Town clerk Richard Chapman said: “The council does not have anything written down at present, so that is why we have come up with a policy based on what we do at the moment for everyone to agree.”

A report accompanying the policy explains that football pitch provision is the most subsidised service provided by the council, and that providing higher quality pitches would mean increased demands on its budget.

Post and rail provision is not necessary, it adds, as moveable ropes are permissible.