Clubs kick off as price hike row causes alarm
South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture (SLLC) have deferred a controversial decision to introduce price increases for pitches after clubs raised concerns.
Youth teams were up in arms last week when they heard of the proposed price hike.
The proposal would have seen the discount for kids’ teams who let pitches be slashed from 75 per cent to 50 per cent.
Neil McGeady from East Kilbride Thistle Amateur football club feared he would have to close the club due to price increases.
He said: “If we have to stay and play in East Kilbride, I’ll need to fold my team because it’s bad enough just now in East Kilbride playing football.
“I’ve emailed the council saying I won’t be using the pitches until this is sorted.
“I think if the council wants to see Scottish football progress, they’ll need to put some of their prices down. I understand things need to go up but this is the biggest increase I’ve ever seen.”
SLLC will now defer increases
until it has held further consultation with local clubs.
A spokesperson for South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture said: “Following discussions regarding the implementation of changes to the SLLC junior club concessions, SLLC are deferring the implementation of changes until they have had the opportunity for further engagement with clubs.”
The increases were approved to help avoid a budget crisis, but upon listening to public concern, plans will be postponed.
There was an uproar from teams across the region last week.
UTD Sports in Cambuslang had been facing a 114 per cent increase for letting a seven-a-side pitch, from £12.50 per hour to £26.75 an hour.
And Blantyre Soccer Academy created a petition that amassed nearly 7000 signatures within days, calling for youth football to be protected.
And grassroots officials were planning to get together this week for a crisis meeting to fight back.
The council’s administration has also set up a five-point plan to help address the budget crisis in South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture.
Proposals include delaying the under-16 club discount change, engaging with teams on new concessionary rates, demanding extra support from energy corporations, requesting additional support for swimming pools from the Scottish Government and offering funding advice and support to under-16 clubs to reduce the impact of rising costs.
A spokesperson for South Lanarkshire Labour,the ruling group at the council, said: “SLLC have agreed to delay introducing the new junior club concessions, giving them time to engage with clubs.
“We need to take this time to listen and work together to try to leverage more money into the system.
“The 75 per cent discount is one of the most generous in the country but, after years of brutal austerity and now horrendous inflation, the operator believes it cannot be maintained without deeper cuts to our local leisure services. Too many councils, charities and communities are grappling with impossible choices between hiking charges or cutting crisis-hit services and closing facilities.
“Labour councillors are calling on energy giants profiteering at the expense of our pools, facilities and service users to put money back into grassroots sport. We are calling on the Scottish Government to follow the UK Government in making extra support available for our swimming pools. We also want SLLC to support clubs struggling with cost pressures to maximise participation.
“This delay does not mean the burden of austerity has been lifted. Hard choices have to be made. Our hope is that all those concerned about the impact of rising charges will see that it is the failing policies of failing governments putting councils and leisure providers in this impossible position in the first place. We will continue to take a stand against our failing governments and in support of South Lanarkshire’s fair share of public spending. We ask the community to lobby their MSPs and the energy companies to help South Lanarkshire through the cost crisis.”