Bowls clubs under threat as council plans shake-up of facilities
THREE lawn bowls clubs face closure while football and cricket pitch users could pay significantly more under Bristol City Council plans for the future of sports in parks.
The local authority will invite third parties, including sports bodies and clubs, to operate and maintain the facilities themselves as it seeks to make sporting provision in its open spaces “cost neutral”.
But a report to cabinet yesterday says that where there are no takers, charges will be hiked.
It says Eastville Park and St George Park bowls facilities and the Ardagh Sports Centre bowls green will be “incorporated into the Bristol Future Parks process without a condition that they will continue to be used only for sport” – throwing their survival into serious doubt.
The future of bowls at Canford Park, Begbrook Park and Netham Park will be secured by agreeing a lease with the existing occupiers.
Football and cricket pitches face a more certain future, although costs for users will depend on whether current or new providers take over their running from the council.
The report says: “For facilities where expressions of interest are not received and they continue to be operated by the council, the hire costs will reflect the real cost of maintenance with the principle that pitches will be cost neutral to the council.”
A public consultation document last year said footballers could have to pay four times the current amount of roughly £2 per person.
Bowls club members could see their costs rise three and a half times while cricketers faced stumping up seven times what they currently pay.
The proposals to be approved by cabinet members are the result of a consultation into three options – increased users’ costs, passing the control of pitches from the authority to third parties, and suggestions from the public.
Sixty-one per cent backed the second option, with only 22 per cent supporting increased fees.
Any increased fees will be used to cover the costs of day-to-day and building maintenance, with a lump sum of capital investment available to help secure funding from other agencies to improve the pitches and greens.
Council papers say: “Bristol has a large number of poor grass playing pitches and a significant number of these are in council ownership and on parks land.
“These pitches are supported by an ageing stock of changing rooms and pavilions, reflecting a long period of under or no investment.
“There is a desire from sport funding bodies to improve facilities, and the improvement of grass pitches has been identified as a priority in the Football Foundation’s Football Facility Plan for Bristol.
“New operating clubs or organisations operating facilities would be required to enter into full repairing lease arrangements on buildings and full maintenance lease or licence arrangements on pitches.
“Further engagement work took place with affected bowls clubs.”
About £550,000 of council money would be invested to upgrade pitches and to pay for contracts to transfer them to operators, with the council’s current annual £200,000 upkeep costs reducing to zero.
Oldbury Court will still have pitches for football and cricket, while expressions of interest are invited for the following pitches: » Arnall Drive playing fields » Aston Vale playing fields » Begbrook Green Park » Canford Park
» Dorian Road » Dundridge Farm playing fields » Eastville Park
» Greville Smyth Park
» Kings Head Land Park
» Netham Park
» Redcatch Park » Wellington Hill