The Crows wrote to council seeking $5000 to repay a sponsor and another $2000 for costs incurred in using courts at Oaklands.

The Victoria Park courts were earmarked for an upgrade with merger funding from the state government, but the project hit a string of hurdles out of council’s hands, according to infrastructure and environment director Peter Gall.

He said the contractor was initially delayed on flood way works at Daysdale and Walbundrie and then once the court was resurfaced, paint took longer than expected to arrive.

The project was aborted when unsuitable, cooler weather arrived.

“These sort of products do need a warm body to sit on so they can adhere properly,” Mr Gall said.

“Hence the delays which were realistically beyond our control.

“We aim to provide a better product than what they had previously and we will still deliver that.”

Mr Gall was responding to a question from Cr Paul Miegel, who queried council’s involvement in the delay.

“As long as council wasn’t negligent in the circumstances that caused the delay,” he said.

“It is the only question I have because unfortunately if there had been a situation that could have been avoided and should have been avoided it is different to whether it couldn’t be avoided and was out of our control.”

Mr Gall also pointed out council already paid for electricity and maintenance at sporting ovals.