THE Echo is to be congratulated on the headline article Legacy Fears (February 2), spelling out the desperate prospects for sport in Dor-set, despite the Olympics.

County Councillor David Harris talks a good game, but it is clear that the county sees no reason to invest in sport.

And in Weymouth and Portland, things are even worse – the borough council is refusing to protect the sports facilities at the Marsh, in order that it can be built on at some time in the future.

On the Marsh we have football fields in constant use, especially by youngsters, we have the swimming pool, we have Moonfleet indoor bowls and we have the only athletics track in Dorset outside Bournemouth/Poole.

Under a national programme to commemorate the Queen’s diamond jubilee and the Olympics, the Borough Council was invited to nominate the Marsh as a QEII Playing Field.

This would safeguard it for sports and recreation in perpetuity, and it would cost nothing at all. But Coun Harris’ Lib Dem colleagues, along with their Tory coalition partners, voted against it.

Coun Harris represents West-ham, so he knows that the Marsh is the only open space of any consequence there.

And as ‘sports champion for Dorset’ he must understand its importance as an amenity in a relatively deprived area.

But the Lib Dem Borough Councillors for Westham both voted against its nomination and protection. No doubt the residents of Westham will remember that at the next local elections on May 3.

In the meantime, we can continue to press for this decision to be overturned. A petition has been prepared and is being distributed now. Please sign up.

Michael Wheller

High Street

Wyke Regis