The last new petition is PE868, by Ronald M Sutherland, who calls on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Executive to introduce legislation to create a right to buy for member-based community sports clubs that occupy or use land and/or premises for recreational or sports purposes. Before being formally lodged, the petition was hosted on the e-petition website, where it gathered 65 signatures. The usual e-petition briefing has been circulated. Sportscotland estimates that there are currently more than 15,000 sports clubs in Scotland, with over a million people having sports club membership. The petitioner points out that many member-based community sports clubs and similar groups do not own the facilities or accommodation that they use and that the tenure is often informal, insecure and unreliable. That acts as a disincentive to long-term planning and the development of facilities and it affects the ability to obtain or attract funding.
Official Report · Committee
New Petitions
Community Sports Clubs (PE868)
Speakers
Choose an MSP to read only their contributions- Michael McMahon Lab 3
- Mike Watson Ind 2
- Sandra White SNP 1
The record
6 contributionsAs members will have noticed, my motion on the subject is mentioned in the accompanying paperwork. Mr Sutherland has been very supportive of the motion and we have been in contact about the matter. However, I have not been in contact with him on the particular issue that has been raised. I am not absolutely sure that the petition's proposal is feasible. I understand the sentiment behind it and I hope that we can achieve what is suggested, although I would like to get the opinion of various bodies on the feasibility of that.
Do you suggest that we seek opinions on the proposal?
The Executive would have to become involved, as a change to the existing legislation would be required. Sportscotland and the National Playing Fields Association Scotland have a view on the loss or potential loss of sports facilities and I think that we should write to them. By definition, the facilities do not belong to local authorities, but it might also be useful to write to COSLA and seek its view.
I entirely agree with Mike Watson. Members will recall our consideration of a petition from Bill Mann. Glasgow City Council has changed its rules and regulations regarding charitable status for sports clubs. The requirements have been lowered for those who are willing to put their facilities back into the community. COSLA could provide some helpful information on that. That might not be exactly what Mr Sutherland wants, but it provides another way of ensuring that sports clubs are kept in the community.
Are members happy that we should write to those organisations?Members indicated agreement.
In this meeting
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