MELVILLE bowling club has voted to co-operate with Melville council to avoid a bruising battle over a proposed move to a park next door.

The council wants to move the club to a joint facility at Tompkins Park and had developed a lawn bowls strategy to facilitate the move, but its adoption was delayed in June following a passionate deposition from incoming president Ken Atkins and former East Fremantle mayor Tim Smith to let the club stay.

But Mr Atkins has now changed his mind, and recently mailed out a ballot to about 100 members urging them to get behind the council’s plans. The club’s lease runs out in a couple of years.

Members overwhelmingly backed his plea: 85 – 14.

But Mr Smith isn’t wavering and says the vote was unconstitutional. He’s received legal advice that the club’s constitution doesn’t allow for postal votes and he’s now trying to get 25 signatures to force a new meeting to discuss the issue.