A SUNDAY League football club looks set to change homes after 50 years just weeks before the season starts after financial discussions with the council broke down.

More than two dozen residents attended a Dodderhill Parish Council (DPC) meeting last week in protest at the £3,300 figure put forward to Wychbold FC for use of the pitch for next season.

They called for a breakdown of the sum after it was included in minutes for a meeting earlier this year, with long-time villager Frank Picken calling it a “ridiculous figure”.

The team had previously paid just £40 per match for use of the changing rooms, though nothing for the pitch itself or car park.

Justin Bowen, another resident, said: “When you come up with what you’re going to charge a village football club, you have to take into account the history, the 50 years of being part of the village.”

A council statement, read out during the meeting, said the £3,300 quoted came following a request for exclusive use from Wychbold FC for use of the pitches.

“Discussions on exclusive use hire were dropped as it was apparent in talks with the football club that this was not workable for either party,” the statement said.

It went on to say, with the village hall having “not been financially secure” for many years, a committee was set up in the last 12 months 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.

According to the council, the club had initially wanted to field six or more teams for the season but had later advised there would only be one or two.

DPC said a review of the terms and conditions of the exclusive agreement will be “carried out over the coming year” but not prior to the start of the 2018/19 season.

Council chairwoman Alyson Keane said she did not have an exact breakdown of the £3,300 figure to hand but would “supply it in writing”.

Mr Bowen said this was “disappointing” as villagers had “been waiting for weeks”.

Another resident, James Marshall, said: “I understand that a formal hire agreement needs to be put in place and the fact you based that around the Worcester City agreement.

“I think there are still some flaws in that approach but again I think the naivety here has been in releasing that £3,300 figure.”

John Brown, resident for 30 years, said: “The fact that there are so many people within the village, they understand you’re trying to balance books, but they would like to know what’s going on.

“When situations like the football club comes on, it actually puts you in a very bad light. I think better communication of the parish council is a real issue.”

Wychbold FC were unavailable for comment.