Robert Plimmer leads calls for action to halt the shocking 50% drop in use of sports pitches following Slough Council’s massive increase in charges
"I've identified an appalling 50% drop in the use of Slough Council's cricket and football pitches. This is truly shocking. Slough's Labour-run Council have caused this crisis, and I'm leading the call for action to address it" said Robert Plimmer, Lib Dem campaigner in Cippenham and former councillor for Foxborough Ward:
"In February 2015 Slough's Labour-run Council voted for massive increases in charges for use of sports pitches. From 1st April charges for cricket pitches went up 112%, adult football pitches up 55% and youth football pitches up 17%. I said this was a crazy decision and predicted a drop in use.
"I recently submitted a Freedom of Information request to Slough Borough Council. The figures I've now obtained show just how much damage the policy of Slough's Labour Council is causing to health and leisure in Slough. The results are shocking. Cricket pitches bookings between May and September plummeted over 50%, from 33 in 2014 to just 14 in 2015. Adult football pitches bookings from the start of September to mid-October declined almost 50% from 62 in 2014 to 32 in 2015. Figures for youth football also fell from 48 to 39."
Following a visit to the sports pitches at Mercian Way in Cippenham Robert Plimmer went on to say:
"This short-sighted policy from Slough's Council is undermining their own claims to be promoting a healthy lifestyle. Slough has these sports pitch facilities such as the ones in Mercian Way which I visited recently, but across Slough much less use is being made of them following the Council's imposition of massively increased charges. The Council estimated in February 2015 that there would be an increase in revenue from sports pitch hire providing overall usage didn't decline to less than 50% of 2014 usage. They are failing even in this miserable aim.
"It's time to fight back and I'm campaigning to get the charges reduced in future. If there is enough support we could start petitions etc. Anyone who wishes to help this campaign can contact me at cippenhamlibdems@hotmail.co.uk
"It will not be an easy fight because some Tory and UKIP councillors supported these Labour increased charges. Not a single one of Slough's councillors was prepared to stand up for the leisure services and health of our community by voting against these crazy Labour policies. But it's worthwhile fighting for these important services that matter to many members of our community, especially when we see how the Council seem to be able to find plenty of money for other schemes. I'm also delighted to see the support I'm already getting from the local papers with the Slough Observer making my call for action to reduce charges the main front page story in the edition of 6th Nov 2015."
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