town councillors in Wellington were told at Monday’s monthly meeting that another meeting on the development and implementation of Taunton Deane Borough Council’s (TDBC) playing pitch strategy had taken place.

The first meeting was between town clerk Greg Dyke, Scott Weetch of TDBC and Steve Coles of Wellington and District Sports Federation, but this time it also involved Stuart Todd, the consultant responsible for drawing up the original strategy.

Discussions centred on the need for feasibility work to demonstrate the costs of change and therefore which option or options might be viable/deliverable and by when.

Further discussion will be necessary to decide what might be possible in planning terms and with the national governing bodies, Sport England and Somerset Activities and Sports Partnership.

It could also involve discussion with schools and clubs, and could also set out rough costs for new and/or improved facilities based on the cost of providing them elsewhere.

Mr Todd has agreed to put consultancy costs against the work. That could be done in stages which would allow better definition of fees for later stages after the initial scoping/feasibility work has been done.

This was seen as a once in a generation opportunity to provide modern sporting facilities for the town.

The council has appointed councillors Janet Lloyd and William Brown to represent it on a steering group to be formed with the Sports Federation and sports clubs to develop the strategy further.