DEAL Town Council have been urged to show more financial support for the sportsmen and women of the town.

At last Thursday’s annual meeting of Dover District Sports Council, vice-chairman David Reid said that this year Dover Town Council had awarded grants of £10,000 each to Dover Athletic Supporters Trust and to the new Dover Water Sports Centre, plus £4,500 to Dover Rugby Club.

And Mr Reid added: “I wonder why Dover Town Council can support their local sports clubs in this manner, and yet teams like Deal Town Football Club and Deal & Betteshanger Rugby Club seem don’t seem to get any similar assistance from Deal Town Council.”

The Sports Council will make their views known to Deal Town Council, and they will also be pressing Dover District Council for early payment of their annual grants, with treasurer John Barrett stating: “We are broke, that’s the bottom line.

“We are still waiting to receive our annual £4000 grant from the Council, from which we make our grant awards to local individuals and clubs, as well as the £600 grant we receive to cover our adminstrative costs, and I hope the District Council can expedite those two payments as quickly as possible.”

Mr Barrett said that he would be retiring as treasurer next year and the Sports Council chairman, Harry Croxton, also announced that he would be stepping down in 2009 after serving for over 20 years in the post.