COUNCIL leisure chiefs say that moving the running track from Huntington Stadium to the University of York's campus is "perfectly feasible".

But in a briefing to Labour's shadow executive, Charlie Croft, City of York Council's assistant director of education and leisure, said the issue came down to a matter of cost.

Mr Croft told the meeting yesterday the local authority was awaiting a more detailed feasibility study from York City FC about a possible move, but said early indications were positive.

"York City is taking the lead in doing a feasibility study and is working with the university and ourselves," he said.

"Early indications are that it will be perfectly feasible to lay a running track on the university site. But it comes down to the question of cost."

The council has previously urged York City to back its own phased development plans for redeveloping Huntington Stadium. Those would involve the retention of the running track and the building of temporary stands to bring the ground up to Football League standards, all funded by City.

The club, who are intending to move to Huntington Stadium in time for the start of next season, have always maintained that the track must be moved in order to make their relocation viable.

Mr Croft said he had held "very constructive" meetings with the football, rugby and athletics clubs over relocation of the running track. "A solution that is not of benefit to one or other of the clubs is not a solution," he told the meeting. "The intention is that all three clubs prosper out of this."

Mr Croft said the athletics club would only consider relocating if it continued to have facilities that were up to regional competition standards and if there was no break in the provision of a track.

Later council leader Steve Galloway told the Evening Press that the council had been waiting for York City's proposals for Huntington Stadium for more than five weeks. "The ball is very much in the football club's court," he said. "There has never been any doubt that you can provide a running track at the university. The problem is funding it.

"Even if that move is affordable now, time is still relatively short."

Updated: 10:46 Tuesday, August 12, 2003