Issue - meetings

This report advises member of the findings of Active York’s (the city’s Sport & Active Leisure partnership) playing pitch analysis and their plans for improving provision in the city.  It also makes recommendations for how the Council can contribute to delivering this playing pitch strategy including developing a funding application and employing a project officer.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised to:

·        Agree a post of Football Project Officer be established subject to match funding being identified.

·        Agree to Officers working with the local community and voluntary groups to develop a feasible project for pitch and ancillary facility improvements on the Knavesmire without jeopardising the other uses of the land, and when such a project is developed seek appropriate external partnership funding to deliver it.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  To improve the quality of playing pitches available in York.

Members considered a report that advised them of the findings of the Active York’s (the city’s Sport and Active Leisure Partnership) playing pitch analysis and their plans for improving provision in the city.

Active York’s Sport and Active Leisure Strategy addresses the supply and demand of turf playing fields. It has identified that the city currently has a shortage of mini and junior soccer pitches and junior rugby league pitches. It also identified the fact that the city has a significant problem with regard to the quality of the pitches available and their associated ancillary facilities.

The strategy identifies the following key priorities for the city:

·        Ensuring that sports people have access to safe and secure facilities which are managed and maintained appropriately

·        Retaining and enhancing existing sites

·        The provision of new pitches should be through extension and expansion of existing high quality sustainable sites

·        Sports trends and participation rates shift over time and the possibility of developing generic pitches should be explored

Officers reported that all York secondary schools have extensive community use whereas primary schools generally lack the ancillary facilities necessary to support community use of pitches. All of the projects would need to be able to demonstrate a strategic need for funding.

Some Members raised concerns regarding the temporary nature of the Football Project Officer post. They felt that the post should be reviewed before the five years was up. Officers said that it would be a permanent post but also stated that the Football Foundation did not provide funding for longer projects.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised to:

·        Agree a post of Football Project Officer be established subject to match funding being identified.¹

·        Agree to Officers working with the local community and voluntary groups to develop a feasible project for pitch and ancillary facility improvements on the Knavesmire without jeopardising the other uses of the land, and when such a project is developed seek appropriate external partnership funding to deliver it. ²

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  To improve the quality of playing pitches available in York.