I WRITE as the mayor of Westbury, about to end my first term of office. During this year my most enjoyable and worthwhile engagements have been with Westbury Youth Football Club.

My first was to present 257 young boys with hard won trophies at their annual presentation, each award won through hard work and dedication to their sport. I was totally overwhelmed by the experience and left having great admiration for the club, its players and the parents whom support and work so hard for it.

My second encounter with the club was when I was asked to present the Football Association's Standard Charter Award. The FA makes this award to only a very few select youth teams in the country and the fact that Westbury had reached this pinnacle of success filled me with much pride and admiration.

To hear the words of the FA president pouring such great praise on our local team was absolutely wonderful.

Yet I now hear that the very existence of the club is threatened by West Wiltshire District Council and their intentions to move the Town Policy Limits and impose Policy H1 as part of alterations to the District Plan.

This same intention will also mean an end to the plans to upgrade sports facilities at Matravers School and restrict other sporting clubs within the town. If the current plans are put in place on April 21, it will certainly stop dead in its tracks the formation of a girls youth football team in Westbury, which saddens me enormously.

How can anyone in their right mind wish to do this to such a successful sports club?

Please can the councillors at West Wiltshire explain why this draconian measure is necessary, when its outcome will be so devastating to the town and its youth.

HORACE PRICKETT

Mayor of Westbury

Coppers End, Yarnbrook