A PARISH council has been criticised by its former chairman over the handling of a row which has seen a football team move to a new home after more than 50 years.

Wychbold FC has now moved to Cutnall Green after discussions with Dodderhill Parish Council over using the village pitches broke down.

Villagers protested at a recent council meeting after it was revealed £3,300 was initially put forward as a fee for exclusive rights for next season – in contrast the Cutnall Green pitches are free.

The Dodderhill playing fields had previously been free, with only a £40 fee paid per game if the changing rooms were used.

Peter Evans, who served on the council for 10 years – four of them as chairman, said: “It appears a fundamental element of community life is almost certainly lost and this saddens me.

“After the work of so many people over many years to provide community facilities.”

Mr Evans said the changing rooms were added to the village hall in 1988 to aid the football team – while charges for its hiring were “only to cover cleaning, energy and maintenance."

He said: "They were not a means of profit.”

He continued: “What next now that there’ll be the loss of the modest community income from the football club? What is the real master plan?”

Mr Evans, who has lived in the village for 40 years, said that the parish council “exists to represent and be answerable to the electorate.”

In a statement, the council said a committee had been set up because the village hall was “not financially secure” for many years.

The committee's plan was to“turn this around and develop a sound commercial operation.”

This has included setting up a formal agreement for the use of the pitch and changing rooms for 12 games per season, set at £275.

However, villagers have questioned how exactly the initial £3,300 figure was decided on.

Council clerk David Hunter-Miller said: “Much significance has been placed on the figure of £3,300 which was dropped from discussions some time ago.”

He added that the council “strives for transparency” and refuted any claims that villagers had been left in the dark about the discussions with the club.