Sports complex needs more fundraising ideas

Treasurer of Barlows Park Management Association (pictured), Pete Courtnage, revealed the gloomy figures at last Tuesday evening’s AGM of the association, which runs Barlows Park sports ground in Silchester Road.
Mr Courtnage revealed a deficit of £1,035, while presenting the association’s unaudited accounts for this financial year (ending March 31, 2013).
This compared to last year’s (ending March 31, 2012) surplus of £1,573 and a deficit for the year before (ending March 31, 2011), of £6,448, he said, adding the annual figures were hard to predict:
“There are unexpected capital items year to year which impact on results,” said Mr Courtnage, adding a £1,600 cost for boiler repairs proved one unexpected expenditure this year, while the association also had several debtors:
“There will be concerted efforts to reduce the amounts owed in outstanding invoices next year,” he said.
On this year’s deficit, rocketing bills for utility services, including gas and electricity had proved a key problem area, despite seeking, he said fixed deals with suppliers and following increased demand for heating at the facility over the lengthy winter and cold spring.
Pitch maintenance bills, he continued, were likely to be heavy this financial year (2013/14), despite hard work by volunteers, with ongoing problems with potholes in the access road to the grounds.
The possibility of a reduction in grant funding from councils including Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council and Tadley Town Council, was he said, a worry for committee members: “We
hope they will continue to look on us favourably,” he said.
Chairwoman, Jo Slimin, paid tribute to an estimated 700 hours of voluntary work carried out at the centre over the past year, which at £12.50 per hour equated to £8,750 in kind, while paying special tribute to committee member, Tim Stagg, and all who helped to cut the grass on the pitches, carry out line marking and recent decorating of the pavilion.
Reading Women FC, she continued, would not be playing at the sports ground next season, after gaining promotion, however their reserves would fill this vacant slot, with hopes schools could use the pitches, while the newly-decorated committee room was available for hire.
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council provided a grant of £10,000 this year, but with some uncertainty about this next year, due to a new system for grant funding in the pipeline, while Tadley Town Council provided a further grant of £7,000 this year - but for one year only. In March last year (2012) Tadley town councillors were divided over the annual grant to the sports complex, before granting approval.