News

Council will fight for money, despite funding blow

By Tim Tonkin
February 06, 2012

A BID by Hart District Council to get a slice of government funding to build new sports facilities in Yateley has been turned down.

But the council says it will not give up in its battle to secure the £100,000 it was seeking.

The assurance comes after what is being described as a minor setback in the council’s plans to install a brand new playing surface at Frogmore Leisure Centre.

The move was first set in motion in September last year after councillors approved a plan to apply for a £104,000 grant through Sport England’s ‘inspired facilities’ scheme.

Carl Westby, Hart’s head of leisure and environmental promotion, confirmed that despite the council having been fully confident their bid would pass first time, the plans had hit a snag after Sports England questioned the type of surface the council wanted to install.

He said that the organisation’s concern was that the council’s proposed artificial grass pitch would limit the types of sport that would be able to be played, and that Sport England was keen to support multi-sports facilities.

He said: “They would like to see us consider another surface, the rest of the bid was solid in terms of the delivery plan we put forward and the support from the council.”

The centre received its first artificial pitch nearly 20 years ago, with the latest sand-based surface, installed in 2005, now close to the end of its working life.

Hart District Council has been looking to put in a new playing surface since 2010, with councillors approving a plan for a rubber-based artificial grass valued at around £260,000 back in September.

Artificial grass is seen to have a number of advantages over the centre’s existing sand-surface, which provides poor joint cushioning for users as well as the risk of friction burns through sliding and impairing players’ technique particularly in football.

By contrast, fake grass would, the council believes, provide a more turf-like surface and would make the pitch eligible for use in football and hockey league matches.

If the sum is awarded the council has pledged to make up the remainder of £156,000 through its own pocket using cash reserves from planning developers’ financial contributions.

The pitch is regularly used by community football and hockey teams as well as students at neighbouring Frogmore Community College.

Mr Westby said that while the council was keen to discuss with Sport England alternative surface types that would allow a wider range of sports to be played, Hart had no intention of compromising the ability of those already using the pitch with an suitable design.

He said: “What we do not want to do is put in a surface which existing users can’t play on.

“If we were to extend it to rugby and other sports it cannot be at the detriment to the teams that currently use it.

“There is no suggestion that we would not replace it [the pitch] but this is an option of helping with the financing.”

Set up in response to the build up to the 2012 Olympic games, Sport England’s Inspired Facilities programme boasted an £18 million, to be handed out nationally to councils able to submit a compelling bid for new or upgraded sports facilities.

Owing to the competitive nature of the scheme, Hart had even sought to bolster its bid by only applying for 40% instead of the maximum 50% of grant support available under the scheme.

Members of the district council behind the bid are now set to meet with officials at Sport England to discuss amendments to their plans ahead of a second round of bidding which opens next month and runs until April.

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