A steering group will be established to oversee the playing fields in a Lichfield village following months of rows over their future.

Representatives from Shenstone Parish Council and the Shenstone Playing Fields Management Committee (SPFMC) – who have been at odds over the way the facility is run since before Christmas – finally sat down this week to thrash out a plan to move forward. The SPFMC appeared to have lost the support of the parish council.

The fears followed a number of councillors resigning from the committee en masse in December.

Earlier this month remaining members said they feared villagers would be forced to stay off the fields after the committee was advised that the council was returning to an “administration” role, and that responsibility for insuring and maintaining the facility rested with the SPFMC.

Members said they could not afford to insure the fields without the support of the council.

Lichfield district councillor Matthew Ellis, who represents Shenstone, eventually waded into the row and agreed to chair a meeting between the two sides on Monday.

Councillor Ellis said the two hour talks had proved to be a “significant step forward”.

“As often happens, when everyone sat around the table to discuss their concerns it was clear that behind the past difficulties lay a common theme of wanting a well-used, well-managed and attractive playing field that Shenstone residents can enjoy and be proud of,” he said.

The group – which will include representatives from the parish council, the SPFMC, and various user groups – will be reviewing the facility’s constitution, looking at ways of simplifying funding and fair-use policies, and developing a strategy for upkeep.