HEADINGLEY stadium owner Paul Caddick and Wakefield Council leader Colin Croxall today admitted that the two parties had held secret talks over Yorkshire's plans to move to new headquarters at Durkar - and that more were planned for the future.

A joint statement from the two parties said: "A meeting recently took place to explore the possibility of resolving, in a mutually satisfactory manner, the dispute which arose from plans to relocate Yorkshire CCC to a site at Durkar and to gain a better understanding of the respective positions of the parties.

"In order to ensure that the discussion was meaningful and productive, the meeting was confidential and without prejudice to the respective positions adopted by the parties.

"Further talks are planned and these will be on the same basis. To maintain an appropriate atmosphere, the parties have agreed not to take any further steps in the existing legal proceedings for the time being.

"The Council and the Company hope to make a further announcement when their discussions have reached a conclusion."

The legal proceedings referred to are the writs which Caddick issued against certain Yorkshire CCC and Wakefield Council officials as a result of Yorkshire's decision last year to move from Headingley to Durkar.

Now, however, Leeds CFAC are holding private talks separately with Yorkshire and Wakefield in a bid to find a way out of the impasse.

Yorkshire chief executive Chris Hassell said: "We knew that talks had taken place but were unaware of their contents. We are pleased that an amicable arrangement has been reached and that the talks are to continue."

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