THE problem of sports and leisure facilities in outer areas of Basingstoke prompted a clash at the monthly meeting of the full Borough Council.

The question has been a controversial one ever since Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council Cabinet chiefs proposed refurbishing the worn-out Basingstoke Sports Centre swimming pools with most of the £3million earmarked for sports barns in Lychpit and Beggarwood.

The cash had been contributed by house developers in the two areas.

At this month's meeting of the full council, the Conservatives put forward an amendment to the Liberal Democrat/Labour budget for 2005-2006 that included funding the sports centre pools with £2.4m from the main capital programme instead.

But the idea was turned down by councillors.

Cllr George Hood, deputy council leader, told the Tories they claimed to support the pools refurbishment, but were always delaying it.

He said: "This is purely political with the election coming up."

Council leader Cllr Brian Gurden said he could see a way to satisfy all parties, but claimed the Tories were making up policy on the hoof.

Cllr John Leek, the Conservative group leader, said the idea was to be able to provide for the pool over the three-year period of the council's budget plan.

He said: "I've heard a lot of nonsense. This isn't something raised on the hoof. It's something that has been discussed for a long time."

Earlier this month, The Gazette reported how some councillors from the respective wards were unhappy with the multi-use ball court facilities being consulted on for the Lychpit/Chineham area and the Hatch Warren/Beggarwood area.

Now it has been revealed that the Binfields proposals would cost roughly £800,000 and the Hatch Warren proposals £1.41m.

The former scheme includes a roofed and floodlit court, a new play area in south Lychpit, drainage improvements to Chineham Village Hall pitch, pitch improvements at Four Lanes Community School and a new field at the Sherfield Park development.

Office and meeting accommodation for Chineham Parish Council may also be part of the plan after a feasibility study.

For Hatch Warren, the plans are:

resurfacing of the existing tennis courts and creation of a multi-use games area

provision of a teen shelter on Hatch Warren playing fields

community provision for the original sports barn site on Beggarwood Woodland Park

youth facility at Hatch Warren Community Centre

a multi-use games area on the sports barn site

picnic benches, car park and adventure playground at the woodland park.

All of the schemes will go before the borough council's community overview committee on Tuesday, March 1.

Committee chairman Cllr Doris Jones said it would be suggested to the committee that they recommend a total of £2.25m is spent on the projects for the two areas and that the sports centre refurbishment is funded from the remaining developer money plus council revenue reserves.

Cllr Jones said the original sports barns idea had been dropped after the consultation with residents and councillors.

She said: "Young people who took part didn't say they wanted a sports barn, they wanted facilities that were more flexible."