Pitch fees for sports clubs in Merthyr Tydfil have been scrapped until at least 2026.
Merthyr council’s cabinet voted in favour of not charging annual maintenance fees for the use of sports pitches until after the 2025-26 financial year.
The cabinet report said that in late 2019, a review of current sporting facilities, mainly outdoor sports fields and pitches, was commissioned by the Active Merthyr Team.
It reviewed the number of outdoor playing facilities in Merthyr Tydfil and focused on giving the council an independent view of their condition and actual usage.
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The review was undertaken in consultation with local clubs and involved site visits.
This review is being used by the Active Merthyr Team to inform and support future work around the development of more community-driven school sporting facilities.
A further in-depth review was done of the current council-owned outdoor sports fields locally and the recommendations that resulted included improving the quality of the fine turf provision, providing access to artificial grass pitches in neighbouring boroughs and providing a new artificial grass pitch.
As part of this review and consultation with local clubs, it became apparent that there were significant issues with the cost of annual pitch fees with certain clubs experiencing financial hardship or even folding as a result.
Councillor Geraint Thomas, the cabinet member for regeneration, transformation and commercialisation has campaigned to alleviate these annual fees for the next couple of years.
Now the parks department at the council has agreed it would not charge clubs for this annual maintenance fee until the 2025-26 financial year so they have an opportunity to solidify and grow without the stress of them having to find finances to cover these costs.
The report said the parks department has not budgeted for any income from pitch fees between 2021-22 and 2025-26.
It said the income is relatively low considering the numbers of teams currently playing in Merthyr Tydfil, therefore, the financial implication will be “minimal” to the council.
Cllr Thomas told cabinet that the cost of the pitches is approximately £40,000 a year which has already been factored in to the council’s medium-term financial plan.
The council started a Merthyr Tydfil football forum and Cllr Thomas said: “Speaking to the clubs it’s become apparent that the cost of the maintenance fees for those pitches was a deterrent from playing sport.”
He said it’s only good news for the sporting clubs and the people who take and active part in sport in the county borough.
Councillor Tony Rogers said it was an excellent report and congratulated Cllr Thomas.
He said: “This is what has been needed. I’m fed up of seeing football pitches and different pitches mothballed.
“We want them out there playing. This can now bring people back in, give them hope now to get these youngsters playing football, rugby or whatever sport.”
Councillor Chris Davies said it is “so so so important.”
He praised the work of Cllr Thomas and highlighted the impact of Covid on people’s well-being and mental health.
He also said Merthyr has the highest rate of childhood obesity in Wales.
Cllr Davies said: “We absolutely have to be really committed to the future generations, children and young people, but also to adults as well.”
He said making playing fields available for people to go and enjoy organised and un-organised activities is so so so important.
Council leader Lisa Mytton said it was “fantastic news”.
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