Council provides sports clubs with £64,980 Covid-19 support

Sports clubs in Bridgend County Borough have been provided with £64,980 to help them meet the challenges of the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic.

The money has been provided after the council reconfigured its Bridgend Sports Support Fund - part of the community asset transfer process – in order to provide clubs with immediate financial aid.

It has enabled clubs to apply for grants of up to £1,000 to assist with day-to-day operating costs and other related expenditure designed to encourage participation, growth and improvement in sport.

The move follows a recent decision by the council not to charge clubs for using outdoor sports facilities for the 2019-20 season, and to provide clubs that are developing asset transfers with additional support such as pitch, green and wicket surveys, drainage improvements, capital grants to purchase maintenance equipment for green spaces and more. 

I am delighted that 67 sports clubs will directly benefit from £64,980 thanks to the Bridgend Sports Support Fund in 2020-21. The funding takes account of both the exceptional circumstances that many are facing because of the Covid-19 crisis, and the continued commitment of sports clubs and town and community councils towards completing community asset transfers of outdoor facilities.

With all playing fields now subject to formal expressions of interest from sports clubs or town and community councils and the associated asset transfers at various stages of development, no club is expected to have to meet the full unsubsidised costs of using local facilities, and the facilities themselves will remain available for community use.

The council intends to continue the fund for next year and make a further £75,000 available to local clubs. This will primarily support mini, junior and youth teams as well as underrepresented groups, and will be launched in April 2021.

Councillor Richard Young, Cabinet Member for Communities