News
Sports ground loss ‘regretful’
KINGS Hill Parish Council has conceded an “own goal” in letting its sports ground to run at a loss. It has vowed to get Kings Hill
Sports Park back in the black and will review its business strategy. It follows the council’s admis-
sion that council taxpayers have footed a £220,000 bill for pitch maintenance to standards agreed with Ebbsfleet United Football Club, which stopped using the ground in 2018. The parish council says it was wrong to try to main- tain the ground to such a standard without the fees to support it. Parish council chairman Sarah
Barker said: “The previous admin- istration’s decision to maintain the standards of pitch care above the level of income generated is regret- ful and we are working to mitigate this state of affairs.” The council will “go back to ba-
sics” in maintaining the park; in- crease booking fees by 10% and
has appointed an amenities com- mittee to monitor the performance of the ground. Cllr Barker added: “The parish council has been using its reserves to fund the park and this can no longer continue. The new fees are in line with competitors and with the booking changes, the council is positive that the Sports Park will become financially self-sufficient.” Kings Hill FC chairman Ian Bull
says he understands the council’s need to make the business pay for itself, but says the club needs a solid commitment that it will keep its priority booking status. Club secretary Liz Seage said:
“We have a good relationship with the management and we need a good relationship with the league, which isn’t possible if we can’t guarantee a home ground.” Cllr Barker said the council had
been forced to take a hard line to run the facility sustainably.
£10k boost for Scouts
THE Co-op in Snodland has pre- sented a cheque to the 1st Snod- land Scouts for £10,103.21, as one of the company's Local Commu- nity Causes for 2019. Sue Childs, on behalf of the Co-
op, said: “We are very proud to sup- port Snodland Scouts, who many members may have seen in the store this year and would like to thank our members for saving their 1% for them, by swiping their membership cards at the till.” Colleagues at Cuxton Co-op pre-
sented Friends of Cuxton School with £9,969.38 as the other Local Community Cause in the area.
Sue explained: “Every time mem-
bers shop at Co-op, 1% of what they spend on Co-op branded prod- ucts helps to fund community pro- jects in the local area. Members can select which cause
their 1% goes to online, the re- mainder is split between the causes in November. “So, the more members who pick
the Scouts, the more money they get. We choose new causes for the community every 12 months. The causes for 2020 are 2nd Snodland Brownies, Cuxton community woodland project and Cuxton and Halling Scouts.”
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