CITY of York Council's handling of the controversial running track saga at Huntington Stadium was back in the spotlight today amid fresh allegations of back-tracking.

Insolvency expert David Willis joined a growing chorus who believe council chiefs did pledge to take responsibility for relocating the facility in crunch talks to decide the future of York City.

The council has strongly denied accusations of a U-turn, maintaining it never offered to move the track ahead of the football club's proposed move to Huntington in time for the 2004-05 season.

Council bosses insist it had made clear the football club would be responsible for the facility's future, including the funding of any relocation.

Speaking to the Evening Press, Willis, of Jacksons Jolliffe Cork, the company which took charge of the Minstermen during its period of administration, confirmed he attended a critical meeting of all the major players in March.

At that meeting, the council agreed to grant City a ten-year lease to play at Huntington Stadium in order to satisfy Football League requirements.

Willis said he attended to help secure that commitment and admits his notes refer only to the council agreeing to give the club the extended lease.

However, Willis believes the council then went further with their pledges of support for the football club.

He explained: "My understanding was, rightly or wrongly, when I left that meeting the council's commitment was the granting of a ten-year lease, the accelerated development of the Park and Ride scheme (at Monks Cross) and the relocation of the running track at a cost of £500,000. That was the figure that was being bandied about."

Former chairman Douglas Craig, who also attended the meeting on March 6, has backed the football club in the relocation row and insisted the council did make the relocation pledge.

Supporters' pressure group the Friends of Bootham Crescent and the Socialist Alliance have also accused the council of betrayal and reneging on an agreement to remove the track.

Responding to today's fresh claims, Charlie Croft, assistant director, education and leisure, said the council's position was clearly documented in the minutes of the public committee meeting on March 10 and a subsequent letter to the football club on March 12.

He described the gathering on March 6 as an 'advisory meeting', one that could not determine council policy because it involved certain council officers but not councillors.

"Some people may have misunderstood the words an officer spoke in an informal meeting but to believe that represented council policy on an issue is not realistic," said Croft. "It was not a policy setting meeting."

Although not present at the meeting, Croft said he had read a fellow officer's notes and thought them 'gloriously ambiguous' and open to 'misinterpretation'.

The failure to solve the running track problem has thrown the future of City back into doubt.

In order for the redevelopment of Huntington to be completed in time, a planning application for the revamp needs to be submitted by the end of July.

However, the process is currently on hold because the future of the running track remains unclear.

City maintain the track has to be relocated if the ground is to be brought up to Football League standards, but athletes fear they could be left homeless if the track is ripped up and no suitable alternative is provided.

City, now owned by its fans and battling to balance the books at Bootham Crescent, simply do not have the estimated £500,000 it will cost to move the track.

If the track stays at Huntington and City's proposed move falls through, the Minstermen, who must leave Bootham Crescent at the end of the upcoming season, face being made homeless.

Club officials met with leading councillors last week in a bid to resolve the problem.

At that meeting, the council stressed its commitment to finding a solution.

But, in its statement, the council gave no indication it would be willing to help fund moving the track.

The statement also suggested the football club would now be responsible for arranging meetings with the athletes in the hope of realising a plan that will satisfy all concerned.

Updated: 11:09 Wednesday, June 25, 2003