WHITEHILL Town Council is facing a bill, costing many hundreds of pounds, following damage to Mill Chase Recreation Ground.

The grassed area, including football pitches, was damaged in April by a horserider and trap.

Deep hoof marks were left in the surface of the recreation ground, in Bordon’s Mill Chase Road, and there has been limited success in rectifying the problem.

As such, councillors agreed last week that £800 should be spent on the installation of a fixed, staggered barrier at the southern end of the recreation ground to prevent unauthorised access in the future. Members also voted to get a local contractor to properly fix the damage, with a top spend of £1,499.

The expense of £60 incurred by Wey Valley Football Club to repair the pitches will be reimbursed as a goodwill gesture between both parties.

Councillors agreed to actively publicise the cost of this damage, which ultimately falls to the taxpayer.

Deputy town clerk David Melsome said the incident had happened during a period of wet weather, and saw the horse and trap travel “in various lines” across the grass.

“The rider must have known the damage they were causing, both to the general outfield and the football pitches with scant regard for the council and any users, including Wey Valley Football Club who then had to input additional resources in trying to get the pitches playable for their matches,” he said.

The council owns and operates a growing portfolio of local assets and amenities. In April, it published an itemised breakdown of everything under its control for the 2017-2018 Annual Governance and Accountability Return.

The register, which covers all of the town council’s assets - including land, war memorials, play equipment, allotments and more - has a total value of almost £1.8million. The town council is free to invest, spend and manage largely whatever it wants thanks to its General Power of Competence status. This declaration, which councillors voted to maintain on Monday (May 21), gives councils the power “to do anything that an individual generally may do” provided it is not prohibited by other legislation.