ALTON United Football Club looks set to take a slice of East Hampshire District CouncilÕs Community Initiatives Fund, after addressing the north west area community committee at EggarÕs School last week.
Representatives from the club attended the meeting to discuss its application to EHDC, for £15,000 towards the cost of building a new clubhouse and changing room facility at its ground in Anstey Park.
The club currently uses a Portakabin for a clubhouse, which they wish to replace with a new purpose-built clubhouse and changing facility.
The club envisage the total cost of the project to be in the region of £240,000, of which the possible grant from EHDC will be a part. The club has its own assets of £48,000 to contribute, Alton Town Council has pledged £5,000 to the project, the Playing FieldsÕ Association has donated £2,000, and there is currently an application being processed by the Football Foundation for a grant of £156,000.
The Community Initiatives Fund currently stands at £221,044. If EHDCÕs Cabinet agree to the proposed £15,000 grant, then the club will be left to raise just £14,000 to see the fundraising completed. Alton Town Council has also offered the club the option of a £10,000 interest-free loan, should the fundraising efforts fall short.
The report into the application put in front of the community committee, stated that the scheme fits closely with the aims and objectives of EHDCÕs Community Strategy, as it would improve opportunities for young people by providing better facilities, encourage sport and leisure activities and work with local communities by improving existing facilities.
As part of its application, the club has produced a forward plan, highlighting its aims and objectives for the future. They expressed a desire to increase the clubÕs membership, develop girlÕs football at the club, form partnerships with local schools and increase the number of coaching staff, match officials and qualified first aiders.
This impressed the committee, and councillor Anne Storey took the opportunity to congratulate the club on their future plans, particularly on the development of girlÕs football.
She said: ÒAlton United do a huge amount for the young people of the town, my only question is, why are you not asking for more?Ó
Committee chairman Jerry Janes asked the young team members present at the meeting why they needed a new clubhouse. One United member replied: ÒYou walk in and you think youÕre entering a health hazard. There is water leaking, bits coming off the ceiling and it is not very clean.Ó
Representatives from the club told the committee that each age group of the club had been given the task of raising £1,500, and that a sponsored walk had already taken place.
The committee asked about the progress of the application to the Football Foundation, but the representatives said that the foundation had not been able to give them much feedback as yet, other than that a decision is expected in August.
The committee put the proposal to the vote, and unanimously agreed to recommend to the EHDC Cabinet that the request for funding be granted. The proposal will go before the Cabinet on September 4.