Cabinet to consider future work with AFC Telford
Telford & Wrekin Council’s Cabinet is to consider potential future opportunities for even closer work with AFC Telford Utd and developments linked to the New Buck’s Head.
The Club has asked the Council to be part of a project team to develop plans to extend the club’s Learning Centre and to explore other leisure related development opportunities.
AFC Telford Utd is planning to extend and develop the Learning Centre so that it can work better for their needs, those of existing users and the wider community.
The proposed development of the Learning Centre would increase capacity for the children and young people’s Learning Through Football programme, create capacity for new community activities, improve community facilities, support new sporting, learning and cultural events and increased participation, as well as much more.
Potential future leisure provision on the site could include the development of community squash courts.
The running costs of the Learning Centre, which provides free accommodation for a number of community projects, are met by the Club. The proposed development would help to generate additional revenue that could be reinvested back into the site.
The Cabinet report asks that Council representatives join a project team to extend the business case, explore opportunities for the wider development of the site for the purposes of leisure and to seek external match funding.
It is also recommended that the group explore opportunities to improve football facilities in the south of the borough through the potential creation of a ‘South Telford Football Hub’.
The football hub could develop the current provision at Telford Ski Centre providing additional sporting, education and social facilities and enable the club to extend its reach into the south of the borough.
AFC Telford Utd has requested that the capital receipt from the sale of the Bucks Head Pub, of £279,000 after costs, is made available to the project team and that this be used as match funding to lever in additional external funding.
The report, which will go to the Council’s Cabinet for consideration on Thursday 19 March, will update Members on the current partnership work with AFC Telford and will also assess potential future opportunities.
Councillor Shaun Davies, Telford & Wrekin cabinet member for neighbourhood services, employment and skills, said: “We currently have a good working partnership with AFC Telford Utd.
“By working together we can ensure maximum benefit for the community and that any new provision will be complimentary to existing facilities in the borough.
“The proposals for improvements works at AFC Telford Utd will be complemented by wider regeneration works in Wellington, announced earlier this year, which includes £180,000 investment by the Council.
“I will be encouraging cabinet members to support this report and the continued partnership working with AFC Telford.”
The Council and AFC Telford have a long history of successful joint work benefitting both the club and the wider community including:
· The Men’s Health programme
· Learning Through Football programme
· Football History and Memories project
· Community Football and Sports outreach programme
· Youth engagement activities
· Arleston community work
· Telford Loyalty Card
