Sir, The report in the Didcot Herald concerning the purchase of land at Hadden Hill for ‘sport and recreation’ by the Didcot Town Council (DTC) raises points upon which long-suffering Didcot taxpayers may welcome clarification.

We should encourage sport, and, properly arrived at, council decisions should be sacrosanct, the ballot box being the way to express any dissatisfaction.

However, I believe this unwarranted decision to be perverse in the light of the information available, and lacking due diligence in the manner it was reached. This can be clearly demonstrated by study of DTC’s documentation.

Residents have contacted me advising that they have approached our MP Ed Vaizey seeking his help in initiating a judicial review of this decision. Such reviews are rare at town council level, but relatively speaking, committing the town to 50 years’ needless multi-million pounds indebtedness would be extraordinary.

An unsatisfactory consultation process saw information sent to residents which was inaccurate, outdated, lacking in balance and incomplete, in short confusing.

SODC are discharging their duties effectively as the “key enablers” in providing these facilities and as the town grows will make further indoor and outdoor provision. Ignoring National Playing Field Association Guidelines, the Labour ruling group discounted more than 150 acres of ‘sport land’ which is used by hundreds of Didcot residents, and could be used by hundreds more.

Changing trends, highlighted by Sport England, were also ignored; eg sport switching and ‘keep fit’ activities increasing while traditional organised pitch sports decrease. No audit of current sporting provision or its use was undertaken or put before the council.

My research shows full weekly programs of sport involving all those wishing to participate and a surplus of five regularly unused pitches. This disproportionate money-wasting decision should be reviewed.

Neville Harris

Independent councillor

Didcot Ladygrove