Grassroots football: Windsor's pitch fee increase plan 'frightening'

The chairman of a grassroots football club has described possible price hikes for hiring football pitches as "frightening".

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead's consultation, which ends later, proposes increasing a pitch fee per season from £2,233 to £4,000.

Paul Holt from Taplow United said the negative impact in the community would be "massive".

The council said it was not currently able to cover maintenance costs.

Mini-football pitches will also increase from £1,116.50 to £2,000.

Officers have contacted sports groups in the county for feedback ahead of the council's decision.

Mr Holt said while his club had its own pitches, it also hired facilities from the council, and any price increases would be "unsustainable" for grassroots not-for-profit football and sports clubs.

He said: "I'm absolutely frightened for adult football, for kids football.

"Adult football 11 vs 11 is in decline.

"If you look at the size of the leagues and what's happened to them over the last few years... they've decreased massively."

He said the decline was due to costs, adding: "All this does is stop people participating.

"How much is it going to cost the councils to look after the people who are no longer participating in sport, who are hanging out on street corners if they're youngsters because there's nothing else to do?

"Or they're just becoming ill and obese because they're not keeping fit?"

Other sports pitches are affected too, with rugby increasing from £2,829 to £4,000, cricket from £3,830 to £5,385, and tennis from £1,761 to £2,485.

Joshua Reynolds, cabinet member for communities and leisure, said: "The fees we charge sports clubs for hiring a pitch for a season is around half of what it costs the council to maintain these facilities."

He added: "Given our financial position, we have had to find ways to balance the budget, whilst ensuring that we can keep access to the sports and events that people enjoy."

He said the average yearly maintenance for a pitch was about £4,500, including grass cutting and line painting.

The increased fees would come into force from the start of the next sport seasons.

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