Issue - meetings

To consider the opportunity to apply for funding from the Lawn Tennis Association.

The Committee considered a report from the Strategic Lead for Leisure and Community Development which sought the potential to apply for capital funding from the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA). The report outlined three options which included applying for funding from the LTA and keeping all tennis courts free of charge; applying for funding and introducing a fee structure for some members of the community; and declining the funding from the LTA, instead financing tennis court refurbishment from the Council’s maintenance budget.

The Committee debated all three options set out in the report. Some members were not in favour of introducing fees. Other members felt that a booking system would restrict those who wanted to arrive to courts spontaneously and voiced that the courts were already well attended. The Committee also raised concern that the booking system would be hard to monitor.

The Committee queried whether the Council had any plans for refurbishment outside the LTA funding. The Committee were informed that while there were no immediate plans for refurbishment, tennis courts would be refurbished when necessary and would be dependent on approval of growth and capital bids.

The Committee voted on all three options and resolved to decline the opportunity to apply for funding from the LTA and finance the tennis court refurbishments from the Council’s ongoing repair and maintenance budget.