Fareham'S civic leader Sean Woodward has launched a scathing attack on Winchester City Council over persistent delays on plans to build a skate park.

Hundreds of children in Whiteley face a summer without skating facilities despite the two authorities agreeing to construct a skate park at the Meadowside Centre.

Fareham Borough Council agreed to pay the £46,000 needed for the skate ramps after it could not find a suitable location within its own Whiteley boundaries - eventually finding a site within the Winchester-controlled part of Whiteley.

Winchester City Council has yet to appoint a contractor to build the park, despite agreeing to its construction four months ago.

But Winchester's civic leader Sheila Campbell has defended the delay, saying that it is a joint initiative between the two authorities whereby they would fund £46,000 each for a skate park and tennis courts. Work to construct the tennis courts has already begun, although Cllr Campbell stressed that a planning application and proper public consultation was needed for the more "controversial" skate ramps.

But Cllr Woodward claims the only excuse he has received for the delay is the long-term sickness of a Winchester City Council officer.

"It's a sad indictment," said Cllr Woodward.

"In February we had a meeting of a few young people who have designed the skate park. The challenge was to get it in before the summer holidays.

"Nothing at all has happened and there is no appointment of a contractor to do the work.

"There has been no second meeting with the youngsters to finalise the designs and therefore the expectations of the young people in Whiteley have been trashed."

But Cllr Campbell says Winchester council does have a preferred contractor and is now preparing a planning application with the hope of having the park up and running by the autumn half term.

Cllr Campbell said: "A great deal is being done about this.

"We think it's worth going through the planning process so local people can make their representations."

Asked whether Winchester council had planned to install the park by the summer holidays, she added: "There was never any commitment that we would be able to do that."