SPORTS clubs and organisations in Ely are being urged to get in touch with the city council in a bid to find out where possible funding could go in the run-up to the 2012 Olympics and beyond. At the latest meeting of the Mayor s Olympic Initiative group o

SPORTS clubs and organisations in Ely are being urged to get in touch with the city council in a bid to find out where possible funding could go in the run-up to the 2012 Olympics and beyond.

At the latest meeting of the Mayor's Olympic Initiative group on Tuesday evening - attended by former Olympian Ron Jones, who now lives in Sutton - it was agreed that the council would seek feedback from sports bodies in the district to move the project forward.

The city's new mayor, Councillor John Ison, said: "It is going to be up to individual sports to say what they want. What we need is for them to say why they want it and what they want, and come up with firm ideas about where things should be sited."

The move was agreed after the gathering was told by Cassie Start, sports development officer for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Sports Partnership, that no funding would be available from Sport England until 2008, the year of the Beijing Games.

Sports groups in the area will be invited to write to the council, putting their case for better facilities for their respective sports.

On the issue of funding, Alan Kirby, of City of Ely Swimming Club, said: "I think we need to grasp the bullet and look for funding in our own way.

"We are going to have to look at a partner from private enterprise."

City of Ely councillor Mike Rouse said: "We need to start before developers build over everything."

It was agreed that someone should be appointed to co-ordinate funding, a position which will be overseen by Councillor Philip Eden.

Mr Jones sounded a warning, however, when he said: "The Government does not necessarily want participation - it wants medals."

The next meeting of the group will take place on June 27 at 7.30pm. In the meantime, sports groups are invited to get in touch with Cllr Ison via the city council.

INFO: Contact the city council on 01353 661016.