COUNCILLORS are not expected to publicly discuss a report that condemned a series of mistakes over Darlington Football Club's new stadium, when they meet next week.

Darlington Borough Council was severely criticised for its handling of the opening of the £20m Reynolds Arena, now known as the Williamson Motors Stadium.

Ombudsman Patricia Thomas said the authority should have sought a High Court injunction to block the opening of the venue in August 2003.

Several conditions of a legally-binding planning agreement had been breached, including a residents' parking scheme, subsidised bus service and highways improvements all not being in place.

Mrs Thomas said it represented a case of maladministration as residents' confidence in the authority had been hit.

The council has insisted that it did not take legal action because the Quakers would have gone out of business had they not fulfilled their opening fixture.

The ombudsman's report will be on the agenda when the authority's cabinet meets on Tuesday, but members are not expected to discuss the matter at any length.

Corporate services director Paul Wildsmith's report to councillors says: "The ombudsman expects the council to consider the report and inform her of the remedies for the injustice, which she found had been caused to complainants within a period of three months from the issue of the report.

"It is proposed, therefore, to consider that report at the meeting of the full council in July."