New home is found for archery club in Staffordshire County Council agreement

The playing field was used by St Leonard’s Primary School in Stafford until the end of the last academic year in July.

The school relocated from St Leonard’s Avenue to the Kingston Centre in Fairway last year. The Kingston site has undergone a major refurbishment and has its own on-site playing fields.

The former school playing field has also been used by Berkswich Football Club for more than a decade.

And the site will continue to be used for community and sports activities for years to come after Staffordshire County Council members agreed to lease it to Stafford Archers for a peppercorn rate of £1 a year.

A report to Wednesday’s property sub-committee meeting said: “The detached playing fields were still required for the purpose of the school whilst the new fields matured and have now been relinquished back to the county council from the end of the school term.

"Previous discussions, whilst the school was being redeveloped, involved engagement with Stafford Borough of a potential exchange of land, however, this option did not proceed.

“Berkswich Football Club have used the fields since 2009, via a previous local agreement with St Leonard’s school. This is mostly at weekends and during the football season.

“Having approached the head of corporate assets to discuss the opportunity to remain in occupation and use the fields, Stafford Archers similarly requested the opportunity to use the fields and the proposal to form a jointly used and managed site was suggested.

“Both clubs have been established for a significant period with the football club from 1988 and the archery club from 1970.

"Both parties have now reached a position of requesting a formal lease with the county council on a 10-year basis where they will jointly manage and operate the site, with the archery club taking a formal lease with the county.”

The proposed use of the site was welcomed by committee members, who granted unanimous approval for the lease on Wednesday (September 4). Council leader Alan White said: “I like the efficient use of the land.”

Councillor Jonathan Price, cabinet member for education, said: “This field was a substantial distance from the original St Leonard’s School and the children would have to walk a considerable distance to use it. The work this authority has done to refurbish the Kingston Centre is excellent and they now have playing fields within the new school area.

“It’s really nice to see this field will get used by the community going forward. I fully support this.”