CALLS have been made for an inquiry after a community group claimed it was wrongly advised by a council about a sports grant application.

Stockton borough councillor Ian Dalgarno has written to the chief executive of the council, George Garlick, to demand an inquiry.

He says that the Thornaby Regeneration Partnership was wrongly told that a bid for about £400,000 had been made by the council to the Football Association.

The money would have been used to upgrade the Harold Wilson Recreation Ground, in Thornaby, and build changing rooms.

A formal bid was never made, although there had been a dialogue with the FA about the ground.

Instead, a rival bid made by Stockton Borough Council to the FA to develop a nearby site was made and has been successful.

Coun Dalgarno and Thornaby Regeneration Partnership fear that any chance of funding for the Harold Wilson site has gone.

Minutes of the Thornaby Regeneration Partnership's Harold Wilson Recreation Ground Steering Group committee show that, at several meetings, Stockton Council said a bid had been made.

That is denied in a written statement by the FA in London, but the council has said that the early stages of formulating a bid was dealt with.

Andy Clay, county development officer of the FA's North Riding County Local Football Partnership, said he was made aware of Stockton Council's interest in the Harold Wilson site about two-and-a-half years ago.

He said that the site was on the council's initial wish-list but when it came to prioritising the list, the rival bid was on the A-list and the Harold Wilson one was not.

Coun Dalgarno has written to Mr Garlick asking for an investigation.

He said: "There is no chance of getting our project now after the FA have given nearly £500,000 for the Thornaby and Ingleby Barwick Football Club bid, which they call the Tibs, bid just half a mile away.

"And yet the council already owned our site and had to buy that one."

A spokesman for Stockton Borough Council said: "The Tibs scheme received a higher priority because it was able to attract match funding, which enabled a formal bid to be made."