BERKELEY'S two main sporting clubs could a face huge increase in their annual costs under a new letting agreement drawn up by the town council.

Berkeley Town Football Club and Berkeley Cricket Club play home fixtures and hold practice sessions at the Station Road sports field.

For 2003 the clubs' annual rents were £576.20 and £359.13 respectively but now they face the possibility of a substantial rise.

A fee of £25 per match has been proposed for both clubs, plus a £10 per hour charge for training sessions.

If these are implemented in place of rents, the football club's 28 first and second team home league games would cost them £700 - before any home cup matches, friendlies or training sessions were taken into account.

Margaret Tayler (CORR), president of the football club, said: "Twenty-five pounds is a high price for a couple of rooms to change in and have a shower afterwards.

"We know Wanswell use a Stroud District Council pitch at a cost of £32.50, but they have the pitch marked and maintained and the nets are put up and taken down for them. We don't get any of that."

But town clerk Debbie Burrow insisted the charges were fair and it had been the clubs' wish to draw up the new agreement.

She said: "The clubs themselves asked for a letting agreement. I contacted the district council for an idea of what to base the charges on and scaled them down from there."

Around 20 people from the clubs attended Monday's council meeting to state their case.

A prepared statement on behalf of both clubs was read by cricket club secretary Richie Phillips.

He said: "Both clubs have a proud tradition of playing their matches at Station Road and both are keen that this continues for many years to come.

"However, we feel that the newly proposed charges are unworkable and we implore the council to reconsider its position on this matter. We urge an early consultation between the council and the two clubs to seek an alternative that is agreeable to all parties."

Council chairman Cllr Ralph Pinnell and the clerk agreed to meet Mr Phillips and Rob Evans, chairman of the football club, on Tuesday, November 4, to discuss terms of the lease.

However, as councillors discussed the agreement they appeared in favour of approving the proposed charges.

A £33,000 refurbishment of the pavilion, incorporating a new shower block, a facility for the disabled, a new referee's room and a completely refurbished kitchen, was cited as a "partial justification for upping the rent" by Cllr John Freeland.

He described the draft as "fair" but asked fellow councillors to consider the objections.

He said: "If the lease isn't causing difficulties, then why are there so many people here?"

Mr Evans was disappointed at the council's lack of communication with the clubs and what he felt was an unnecessary use of the word "confrontational" by Cllr Pinnell during the meeting.

He said: "This isn't a them and us situation. The two clubs bring over 1,000 people to Berkeley each year for matches. Those people visit the hostelries and use other facilities in the town. We should be working together but the council aren't thinking of that."

The dispute comes as an untimely blow to the football club as it has made a tremendous start to ikts Gloucestershire Northern Senior League campaign following their Stroud League, County Cup and Stroud Charity Cup treble last season.