I AM writing in response to the two very different letters in last week's Citizen (August 29) about leisure in Harlow.

'The future of sport is up to you' stated the headline. Never was a truer word spoken.

We will be asking local people their views on this issue as part of the Harlow 2020 vision consultation which will begin at the end of this month.

Sport and leisure provision is a critical issue in the town and fundamental to the future regeneration of Harlow for young people.

Alan Webb demonstrates very well the issues we are facing and shows exactly why all residents should put forward their views during the consultation.

Keith Clarke, the so-called environmental expert, however, is under the impression that English Heritage has a major stake in Harlow's land. I presume from what he is saying that he has got confused between English Heritage and English Partnerships.

His presumptions about clawback on land sales are equally misleading.

On August 6 we launched with the support of local stakeholders a joint working protocol with English Partnerships to facilitate the regeneration of the town.

The reason for developing this protocol is because English Partnerships owns much land in the town. In other words the land is not the town's to lose.

The only way we can regenerate facilities for local people is to work through the protocol taking advantage of the commitment to work with us on regenerating the town, which English Partnerships gives.

The statements about payments over seven years to English Partnerships are just not true.

Our town stands at a crossroads on this issue. Do we move forward and regenerate developing facilities which future generations can be proud of, or leave things as they are and watch our town decay?

The future really is up to you.

COUNCILLOR DEREK FENNY,

Harlow Council assistant leader,

Town Hall, Harlow