WITH reference to last week's story about plans for Rowde I would like to clarify the current position and its background.

Mrs Brown has farmed in Rowde for 50 years but a trust has not been set up by her to provide land for new facilities in the village.

Along with a number of others she is interested in discussing ideas to improve facilities and opportunities within the village.

As a result of the efforts of the Rowde Playing Field Association sport is alive and well in Rowde. To my mind however the association as opposed to Rowde School is unable to realise its full potential through lack of funds and the remoteness of the sports field.

So far as Rowde School is concerned my three children attended this splendid village institution where, with countless others, they received a quality of education second to none.

I prepared a discussion paper inviting ideas on the future of the village hall in the context of affordable housing, sports facilities and fundraising.

The next step is for the interested parties to discuss their ideas together to see if there is a consensus.

If so, such ideas can be considered by the village. As Mrs Houseby has stated and I wish to emphasise, as yet only ideas are to be discussed.

Hopefully the Gazette will be able to act as a forum for communities, like Rowde, having to cope with the preservation and improvement of their facilities and opportunities.

My personal view is that the viable village community facilities of the future, whether they be halls, sportsfields or even schools, will be those capable of both multi-use/occupation and generating third party income.

They will operate from secure single site buildings requiring the minimum amount of energy and maintenance.

As recent events have shown, the price and availability of energy will be the greatest single factor influencing the lifestyles of subsequent generations.

EDWIN LEE

High Street, Rowde