Mayfield Park Bowling Club wins reprieve after funding cut

Mayfield Park Bowling Club (MPBC) was told in May that financial support from Southampton City Council would be withdrawn at the end of the current season in September.

Club members and opposition councillors said this did not provide enough time to explore and secure alternative funding options for the site in Weston Lane.

Conservative councillor Sarah Powell-Vaughan tabled a motion to the council meeting on Wednesday, to extend the arrangement with the local authority for 12 months.

Southampton City Council meeting at the Civic Centre on Wednesday, July 17. Picture: LDRS

Since submitting the motion, Labour cabinet members met with the club last week and came to an agreement to provide this extension to carry out the fine green lawn care, which costs around £32,000 a year.

Cllr Powell-Vaughan said the club had been “a vital community asset” since it was established in 1959.

The plight of the club was revealed by the Daily Echo earlier this month.

She said: “The MPBC fosters a community engagement and provides opportunities for social interaction, reducing isolation among residents, particularly those who were at home during the day or at weekends.

“The club activities contribute significantly to the mental and physical health of its members thereby indirectly reducing the burden on NHS services because people get fitness and activities – bending, stretching, anything at all when you think about playing bowls.”

Cllr Powell-Vaughan said last year the club spent around £48,000 on various other maintenance costs.

Cabinet member for environment and transport Cllr Eamonn Keogh said the council was having to make “tough and difficult decisions” to deliver a balanced budget.

He said the agreement with MPBC was signed in 2000. The local authority only had to give a month’s notice but the initial decision was to give until the end of the current season in September.

“However, as a result of discussions with the club, who are keen to take on the liabilities currently borne by the council, a request was made for more time to allow the club to secure the necessary funding to ensure this can happen and this is what we have agreed to,” Cllr Keogh said.

“It should be recognised that the club has benefited from significant council support since 2000 in continuing to operate and we now enter a phase where we will work with the club to support its endeavour to operate independently of the council in order to continue as a going concern.”

All support from the council will end by the end of the 2025 season, Cllr Keogh said.

Further discussions are expected to take place over a potential community asset transfer to the club.