THE COMMUNITY stadium project has been left unchallenged and unaltered after a fractious meeting which saw councillors debate objections to the project in front of worried football fans.

A scrutiny committee met last night to examine the project before it goes to a full meeting of the council next month, after three opposition councillors called it in over worries for Yearsley Pool, and what they said was a lack of consultation with people living around the site near Huntington.

But after a difficult debate with allegations of political point-scoring and delaying tactics from both sides, the nine-strong committee voted to accept it as it is.

Speaking after the meeting, York City FC's chairman Jason McGill called yesterday evening "the first skirmish before the real battle" of the full council meeting, when a majority of councillors will be asked to approve an extra £4 million to replace Waterworld, funding the ruling Labour group say is the anchor for the whole project.

Around 50 fans filled the public gallery for the committee meeting, many concerned that political disagreements could endanger the stadium and their club.

Fan Sam Pickering said: "I remember all the trouble the club had a few years ago. I think there's a lot of concern among fans now. As a fan of a club like York that's had a lot of trouble, there's always that feeling of 'what next?'"

The meeting heard from council leader James Alexander, football club boss Jason McGill, and ork Hospital chief Patrick Crowley supporting the scheme.

But Fiona Evans, from the Yearsley Pool Action Group, spoke of what she saw as "broken promises" from the council administration over the future of Yearsley Pool, and begged them to make promises for its future.

A fractious debate followed, with Labour councillors saying they did not understand why the call-in had been made when so much rested on the future of the project. In opposition, the Liberal Democrat members whose party had made the call-in, said they had always supported the stadium, but wanted assurances the Yearsley Pool would be saved and residents in Huntington could have their say on the plans to put such a large development near their homes.

Labour member Cllr Joe Riches said: "How long can you be behind something 'in principle'? I think it's time to say whether we want this, or not.

"I think this call-in is vexatious, and has been done for political reasons, and now we should get on with building the stadium."

Responding, Liberal Democrat Cllr Nigel Ayre said he would support the proposed as it was all that was on offer to bring a new stadium to York.

"All we ask is for a commitment to Yearsley Pool, and a commitment to talk to residents."

The meeting ended with a vote down party lines - the five Labour members voted to send the project straight to full council for approval with no recommendations, while the four opposition member abstained, meaning it will next be discussed on October 9 when councillors have to decide whether to award the extra £4 million.