Cruel cuts follow all England Champions League final and ahead of Women’s World Cup
More than 700 council football pitches have been lost in Britain since 2010 research by GMB reveals.
The figures emerge ahead of GMB’s Annual Congress, which begins place in Brighton on Sunday [June 9, 2019].
There were 710 less local authority owned or operated football pitches in the financial year 2017/18 than there were in 2009/10 – before the Conservative’s austerity project began.
The worst hit region was the North West, which lost a massive 164 pitches during that period.
The figures come from a Freedom of Information request made by GMB to all local authorities in Britain.
Councils in England had government funding slashed by 49% in real terms between 10/11 and 17/18.
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COUNCIL OWNED FOOTBALL PITCHES |
||
|
OVERVIEW |
||
|
Region/Country |
2009/2010 |
2017/2018 |
|
OVERALL |
8939.5 |
8229 |
|
Pitches lost |
710.5 |
|
|
YORKSHIRE |
819 |
743 |
|
Pitches lost |
76 |
|
|
LONDON |
781 |
727 |
|
Pitches lost |
54 |
|
|
NORTH WEST |
1634 |
1470 |
|
Pitches lost |
164 |
|
|
WALES |
621 |
539 |
|
Pitches lost |
82 |
|
|
SOUTH EAST |
1027.5 |
1035 |
|
Pitches lost |
-7.5 |
|
|
EAST OF ENGLAND |
639 |
566 |
|
Pitches lost |
73 |
|
|
SOUTH WEST |
390 |
369 |
|
Pitches lost |
21 |
|
|
SCOTLAND |
1261 |
1132 |
|
Pitches lost |
101 |
|
|
EAST MIDLANDS |
663 |
628 |
|
Pitches lost |
35 |
|
|
WEST MIDLANDS |
575 |
491 |
|
Pitches lost |
84 |
|
|
NORTH EAST |
529 |
529 |
|
Pitches lost |
0 |
Tim Roache, GMB General Secretary said:
"Losing more than 700 council footy pitches shows what the Government's slash and burn approach to local government means in reality.
“Councils have had their funding cut in half since 2010 - they're struggling to fund the basics and keep the show on the road.
“We’ve just had two English teams in the Champions League final – while the England men and women’s national teams are about to head into international tournaments.
“Just contrast that with this sorry state of affairs at the grassroots, where opportunities for the next generation of players are being trashed.
Leroy Rosenior, former West Ham, Fulham and QPR striker, said:
“It’s a national tragedy that fewer and fewer kids will have a place to play as a result of short-sighted cuts, putting efforts to open football up to more youngsters and develop diverse, welcoming and healthy sporting communities in jeopardy.”
Mr Rosenior - who also managed Torquay, Brentford and the Sierra Leone national side and was appointed MBE for his services to tackling discrimination in sport - will address delegates at GMB’s Congress in Brighton next week in his capacity as an ambassador for leading grassroots anti-racism charity Show Racism The Red Card.
“Grassroots football is the breeding ground for the next generation of England stars, but it’s also a crucial arena for tackling racism and discrimination at an early age.
“Selling off pitches reduces the number of open and inclusive arenas where young footballers can grow and develop,” he said.
