New Artificial Pitch Proposed for Effingham’s KGV Playing Fields

Published on: 27 Jul, 2017
Updated on: 28 Jul, 2017

King George V playing fields in Effingham.

By Chris Dick

Discussions are understood to be underway between the Effingham Village Recreational Trust (EVRT) and Bookham Colts Football Club on the installation of two five-a-side artificial “3G”, floodlit, all-weather pitches on the current hard courts at the King George V playing fields.

Mike Creffield, club chairman said: “A Bookham Colts project entered into with EVRT support is looking at re-purposing the existing tennis courts at KGV to create a 3G playing facility.

“Both parties are keen to ensure the future of grass roots football in the area and to enhance facilities already available at KGV for wider community use. Although in the early stages, Bookham Colts have the support of Surrey FA and hope to have sufficient funding in place to begin the project in Autumn 2018.”

The reports of the proposed new amenity, likely to be a welcome and popular addition, come in the wake of a recent controversy over the local Howard of Effingham School’s use of the KGV playing fields.

Speculation continues over the fallout of the announcement by the headteacher at the school that, because of proposed increased rental charges, the school had decided to stop using the playing fields. But it now seems that both sides hope some continued use by the school can be negotiated.

Headteacher Helen Pennington would say only: “We continue to be committed to working with all stakeholders within the local community, including EVRT.”

Asked to explain the reasoning, behind the initial proposal for the 43% increase in rental charges for the HoE to use the King George V playing fields (KGV) and the follow up proposal for only a 2.1% rise for restricted use of the amenities, the EVRT chairman explained that the different figures were an attempt to match the rental costs with what the school has actually used in recent years.

Chairman Chris Iles said: “It was driven in an attempt to match the school’s usage rights to its requirements and so meet the school’s budget.

“The initial [43%] proposal was to achieve the stated requirement of renewal under the existing terms. The school, over time, has not demonstrated a significant requirement to use more than two of the rugby pitches, there are four, the clubhouse, nor the hard courts.

“Once we re-ran the reduced requirement it produced a fee that seemed to achieve the budgetary objective of the school whilst remaining consistent with the charges levied on other users.”

The school’s decision is likely to leave EVRT with a significant budgetary shortfall so any funding that can be provided by Bookham Colts will almost certainly be welcomed.

Responses to New Artificial Pitch Proposed for Effingham’s KGV Playing Fields

Des Tanner Reply

July 28, 2017 at 11:19 pm

In response to EVRT chairman Chris Iles’ comment, regarding the Howard of Effingham schools use of the KGV playing fields.

If a licence for the last five years has included the use of the whole KGV and then you take away half the rugby pitches, the hard courts and the clubhouse and don`t reduce the amount you charge but increase it, then you are putting their costs up by a considerable amount, probably 43%.

Liz Hogger wrote that there was very little difference between their old licence the proposed new one. The only “very little difference” is the cost.

Just goes to show how you can make figures say what you want. Smoke and mirrors. Well, how about shuffling deckchairs? We all know where they ended up.