COUNCILLORS are calling for more support to be given to youth football clubs around the borough.

A number of youth teams around the borough use sites owned by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council for training sessions as well as competitive matches.

However, currently the clubs are charged between £6.70 and £29.50 a session to train on these sites.

Labour councillors are calling on the Conservative-run borough council to look into the charge and amend it appropriately ahead of the council’s next yearly budget.

Leader of the Basingstoke Labour Group, Cllr Paul Harvey said that the borough council needs to be supporting grass roots football in the area.

Cllr Harvey said: “There are some fantastic youth football teams not just in the town, but across the whole borough.

“We understand that clubs need to pay to use the pitches for competitive matches, but when they have to pay an additional fee for training once or twice a week the costs start adding up.

“We do not want to be discouraging youth football in anyway as they make for such great communities not just for the players, but all the parents and coaches who play their part as well.”

Cllr Harvey is calling for the review of the charges as other organisations such as Parkrun in War Memorial Park are not charged, and neither are people running businesses- like the boot camps.

Cabinet member for borough development and improvement Cllr Rebecca Bean said: “We are very supportive of grassroots sport in our communities, especially to encourage more activity in young people.

“The council does not have a policy of charging youth or adult football clubs for using appropriate open spaces in our parks for training. We only charge if they hire a pitch as a contribution to cover the line marking, maintenance and opening, closing and cleaning of the changing rooms.”

The motion to review the cost will go to full council tonight.