Plans are being put into place to revamp run down sporting facilities in Brighton and Hove.

City councillors set up a scrutiny panel after complaints the cricket pavilion at Patcham Place had not been rebuilt following an arson attack.

The body also considered the future of sports pitches generally in the city.

Clubs told the panel Patcham Place was one of the best cricket grounds in Brighton but games could not be played there following the loss of the pavilion. They also said the condition of many other pavilions and pitches were poor.

The panel recommended Patcham Place should be brought back into use by 2005 and the pavilion be rebuilt. It also proposed an upgrading of other pitches and pavilions.

The panel said Patcham Place was an important sports venue and pitch preparation work should be started this season.

The council has already received the insurance settlement following the loss of the former pavilion and would lose a proportion of this payment if it was not to be replaced.

If money was not available for a full replacement, a smaller and more simple pavilion would be erected.

The panel also agreed ways needed to be found of improving the general standard of playing surfaces.

Fewer cricket pitches maintained to a higher standard would help, it said, and there was a need to provide more youth and junior football pitches and reduce the pressure on adult grounds.

Councillors recommended a better system for dealing with complaints from clubs after hearing about poor communications.

They said ways must be found of keeping the sports pavilions in a cleaner state. Delays in dealing with vandalism needed rectifying.

Some source of funding should be available to allow for the replacement of a pavilion in the event of damage or loss similar to Patcham Place.

A continuing decline in the condition of sports pavilions was unacceptable.

When negotiations took place with developers, they should be asked in some cases to pay towards improving sports pitches and pavilions.

Leases could also be arranged with clubs so they could carry out improvements and repairs.

Whenever possible, sports grounds should not be used for outdoor events - a recommendation following damage to Patcham Place by a horse show.

Patcham Tory councillor Geoffrey Theo-bald, who asked for the panel investigation, welcomed the prospect of more cash being made available to improve pitches and pavilions.