Hugh stands up for Sports Clubs

HUGH ROBERTSON SUPPORTS COMMUNITY SPORTS CLUBS AGAINST LICENSING BILL

Hugh Robertson, the Shadow Minister for Sport and MP for Faversham and Mid Kent, has tabled a Commons Motion supporting community sports clubs against potentially damaging effects of the Licensing Act.

Previously, many small clubs and organisations paid a minimal fee, often about £5, to license their premises. Under the new system, they will pay a fee based on the rateable value of their premises – which will then be used to place the club into a band which determines both an initial payment and the subsequent annual fee. Some of the examples we have seen would see costs rising from £5 under the old system to £275 initially and £125 annually thereafter under the new system.

Hugh said: “Our campaign against this measure has already attracted the support of the Central Council for Physical Recreation who believe that the proposed licensing fees will have a disastrous impact on community sports, with many not being able to afford to pay the new proposed fee.

“We would like to see a fair and affordable fee system in place that does not penalize, unnecessarily, small clubs that provide important benefits to the local community.”