Clacton News
Soccer pitch price hike backfires as bookings fall
5:00pm Saturday 4th February 2012
A COUNCIL boss has admitted scoring an own goal after a huge hike in the cost of hiring football pitches lost £3,500 in bookings.
Leisure bosses hoped to raise an extra £12,000 for Tendring Council’s coffers over the year, but the move backfired.
New figures show that between April and December, cash from hiring out pitches slumped to £19,549 – down from £23,033 in the same period in 2010.
Clacton United vice-chairman and opposition councillor Pierre Oxley said: “The price hike has decimated the Sunday League.
“Clubs, such as Clacton United and Elmden Rovers, have used their initiative and used other pitches that are cheaper.
“But this policy has cost the council £3,500 rather than earn them extra.”
Council cabinet spokesman Stephen Mayzes had already said pricing would be reviewed after it was revealed bookings fell by more than 25 per cent in the autumn.
Mr Mayzes said: “We have put our hands up and said we got it wrong.
“The solution is to reduce the pitch fees by 20 per cent, but by the means of a Big Society discount.
“The idea is to apply a discount to community groups and organisations willing to take responsibility, such as those who put up goal nets and corner flags, reducing overtime costs to council staff.”
But he added: “My own view is that only a small minority of residents benefit from the pitches and why should all taxpayers have to fund that?
“As we move forward it will be on more of a commercial basis.”
Mr Mayzes said the Sunday League had been struggling before the increase in fees.