FINANCIAL problems continue to dog Okehampton Rugby Club after losing an appeal to get its rate relief increased.

Assistant club secretary Ted Cann is willing to go all the way to the Ombudsman with the club's case following a cut in rate relief by 50 per cent over the last three years.

Mr Cann said the £60 the club had to find every week for rates was 'a truly ridiculous figure' for a non-profit making organisation.

West Devon Borough Council has told the club there are very limited funds for discretionary rate relief and priority was being given to reducing the rates burden on village shops in order to support rural areas.

The club currently receives 30 per cent rate relief but the council has the discretion to grant up to 100 per cent, with 75 per cent of this being recoverable from Central Government, said the club secretary.

Losing the appeal was a 'bitter blow' especially after all the support that had been given to it by West Devon and Torridge MP John Burnett, Okehampton Town Council and many other organisations.

It also had repercussions for other sporting groups in the town who were in the same situation such as the Rifle Club and the Bowling Club, he said.

'For a local authority which claims to be committed to the development of sports services for all age groups its attitude is a little difficult to understand.

'Last year the club was only able to meet the increased demand by selling off assets to the value of £1,000.'

Mr Cann said a crumb of comfort had come from discussions with The Valuation Agency who had reduced the ratable value of the club premises from £14,250 to £9,000 after a close study of the balance sheets over the last five years.

But his fear was if the pattern of reduction in rate relief continued and the council decided to withdraw it completely if it wanted, the end would surely be in sight for a club which had done so much for the town.

'We are going to take this matter further because our fears for the future cause us great anxiety,' he said.

In a letter to the club, principal corporate accountant of the borough council Lisa Bygrave said the club received the highest amount of relief granted in money terms out of a total of 32 sporting organisations in the borough

She said: 'It is felt that sporting organisations are not as high a priority as say village shops or hardship businesses which are struggling to survive and which provide essential lifeline services to people living in rural areas.

'Sporting organisations also have the ability to generate more profit through bar takings etc.'

She added with an ever growing demand for rate relief on a small budget, there were extreme pressures on the amount of rate relief that could be granted.

'We have had no choice but to prioritise towards organisations which provide the basic living requirements to the people of West Devon.'