Agenda item

To receive and consider the report of the Operations Manager.

With the permission of the Chair, this item was moved up the agenda so the members of public could hear the discussion and outcome.

The Committee received and considered the report of the Operations Manager, who also provided a verbal explanation. He confirmed the main issue with training was that it took place on match pitches during the time that renovations  works were ongoing.

The football club representatives present acknowledged that training did take place without booking with the Council.. The clubs also agreed with the comments of the Operations Manager that training should never take place on match pitches and that they were aware this was the directive of the Football Association (The FA), with the outcome being that this may potentially affect grant funding from the FA.

In order that a full discussion took place, with the permission of the Chair, the representatives present participated in the discussion.

Members had heard earlier from the football club representatives who had asked that the implementation of training fees be delayed as training fees had not been factored into the club’s fee charging structure for 2025.

In response to a Member’s question regarding the impact to membership if training fees were enforced by the Council, the representative for Witney Vikings advised that with such demand for places he did not expect a drop in their membership due to a potential higher registration fee needing to be charged. However, he hoped that the collaboration with the Council to seek grant funding could mitigate the need for training fees.

Members discussed various options which resulted in a proposal to which all members unanimously agreed that:

1.      Training sessions be allowed to proceed without charge this season and,

2.      That all training must be booked via the bookings office to determine demand and so the correct maintenance can be carried out by the Council’s work team and,

3.      The Council identify and prepare other grassed areas, with a maximum 9 x 9 pitch being made available for training and,

4.      That areas designated for training are used instead of match pitch areas (in line with FA guidance) and,

5.      Absolutely no training must take place on match pitches outside of the football season (During renovation periods) and,

6.      Storage containers be considered at the additional training sites identified and,.

7.      That the demand for training be monitored and its success reviewed in March 2026.

Recommended:

1.      That, the report and verbal update be noted and,

2.      That, the above decisions, numbered 1-7, be communicated to the football teams at the upcoming new season meeting with clubs on 4 September 2025.