WARWICK Hockey is hoping politics won't stand in the way of its new pitch after confusion emerged over the conditions attached to State Government funding.

Warwick Hockey president Peter Pickering said the association was disappointed to read in the Daily News there was some doubt over the process when it had appeared to be a done deal.

On a visit to Warwick last week, Sports Minister Phil Reeves announced almost $500,000 of funding for a new pitch after the club's field was destroyed in the floods.

However, that funding will only be provided if the council agrees to build a levee bank.

While the council has moved to look into the construction of flood mitigation measures and has allocated funding, councillors will still have to give the final tick of approval to a precise plan.

Despite a fiery committee meeting earlier this week, Mayor Ron Bellingham yesterday said he still expected a positive outcome for Warwick Hockey.

"Our challenge is, there is a very minimal amount of money available to achieve what we are charged with achieving," he said.

"The intent is to delay the model that will be chosen until such times as our (engineering) director returns from holidays."

Rather than a full, four-sided levee bank, engineers are looking at two-sided protection, which would slow the force of the water, protecting the pitch from being torn up as it was in the summer floods.

Warwick Hockey has worked tirelessly to try to restore normality to its facilities and Mr Pickering made no bones about saying if the synthetic pitch was not replaced, it could spell the end for the club.

"It would be the death of Warwick Hockey," he said.

The association met earlier this week and dedided it will discuss the issues with the Minister, Cr Bellingham and local member Lawrence Springborg.

Yesterday Mr Reeves told the Daily News the government was "delighted" to be able to promise the funding to the association.

"On my recent visit to Warwick, I announced the funding would be delivered after I met with the Mayor, who agreed council will implement approved flood mitigation works, including a levee bank, for the association's facilities," he said.

"I must say it was a pleasure to see the smiles on the faces of those young hockey players when I made the funding announcement and I look forward to seeing them enjoying their new facilities."