Town Councillors in Carterton have given permission for legal representatives of the council to begin drafting up a lease extension for Carterton FC.
Carterton Town Council last week voted unanimously to instruct legal officers to draft a lease extension for the club. Over 50 members of the public also attended the meeting along with young players from the club who were dressed in their football kits and holding signs and banners to show their support at the extraordinary meeting.
The club's land belongs to Carterton Town Council but the clubhouse and all the facilities were built by local residents and members of Carterton FC. The club have been offered the opportunity of grant funding but need a 30-year lease.
Carterton FC chair Phil Godfrey has a phased plan to redevelop the existing premises and to work with Oxfordshire Skill Acquisition Academy to provide dedicated BTEC programme for school leavers. Mr Godfrey said, "Our first phase is to get the proposed funding quickly for a modern 3G pitch that could be available for use 365 days of the year, irrespective of the weather. We are currently in discussions with a disabled football organisation about using the pitch as well."
Cllr Michele Mead, who is both a Conservative Town Councillor and District Councillor in Carterton, said "I am really pleased we have been able to agree to move to the next stages with the Town Council now working with legal representatives to work on a lease extension. We recognise that Carterton FC is a crucial part of our community and we want to ensure our local teams have the facilities they need to grow and succeed."