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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
National
James McNeill

Council 'delighted' for return of football after parking dispute

A local junior football league has been allowed continue playing football after a dispute with the council.

The Skelmersdale Junior Football League are being allowed to continue playing their games on the Blaguegate field after a recent parking dispute. Last week West Lancs Council suspended all JFL games after the league breached their contract with the council to not park in the state-of-the-art JMO football centre next to Blaguegate.

The move was met with strong resistance in the town and parents believed that the council was "ripping grassroots football straight out of the community". In a recent statement the council have said JFL and the JMO have "agreed a way to move forward".

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A statement from West Lancashire Council said to address concerns about dangerous parking on grass verges and double yellow lines around the site, on Sunday morning, JFL will "install cones and undertake routine inspections to ensure that any person not complying is reported". The Council have agreed to temporarily provide support through the provision of "parking marshals on Sunday to monitor compliance."

Councillor Carl Coughlan, portfolio holder for Leisure, said: "All parties have done everything they can to resolve the issues – I am delighted that we have been able to secure the return of kids football which is the positive outcome of lots of hard work and I'd like to thank everyone involved. The individuals that have refused to park on Sandy Lane Car Park are the ones at fault and I appeal to everyone to join us in moving forward in a positive and responsible way."

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