MP says Southam United Football Club faces a 'now or never moment’ next week
Southam United Football Club is facing a 'now or never moment' next week, according to the town's MP.
Sir Jeremy Wright, MP for Kenilworth and Southam, is urging Stratford District Council’s Cabinet to "make the right decision" at its meeting next Monday and agree to a financial package that could save the 111-year-old Southam United Football Club from closure.
For months, Sir Jeremy has been supporting the club’s chair Wayne Stevenson, Cllr Angela John and town clerk Debbie Carro from Southam Town Council, with discussions with Stratford District Council officers and Bloor Homes to unravel issues with historic agreements that have left the club house with a top floor that was never completed.
While the club house has ground floor facilities to support players and officials, the top floor function room area was never finished at the time of completion nearly 10 years ago.
The top floor suffers from a series of issues, including gaps in the windows, no heating and no kitchen or upstairs toilet facilities, preventing the club from holding events and hiring the space out to the community to generate income to help the club survive.
Sir Jeremy said: “It’s a now or never moment for Stratford District Council’s Cabinet members and I welcome the financial proposal that will be put before them next week and I urge them to do the right thing.
"After months of behind the scenes work by the club’s dedicated volunteer team, Cllr John and Town Clerk Debbie Carro and I to engage with council officers and Bloor Homes to solve these critical issues, it’s good to see the council’s cabinet finally recognising the serious implications for the club’s future if urgent support isn’t offered and is now considering a financial package before the final whistle is blown.”
He added: “It’s hard to be sure what went wrong in the past, but I am more interested in what happens to ensure that the lights are kept on at Southam United. We now need the function room to be brought up to the standard required to be the community asset it was always meant to be urgently. If it is not, the club may not survive the winter and its potential to serve both the club and community, along with providing a sporting facility for the area as a whole, will cease.”
Speaking previously to the Courier and Weekly News, Stratford District Council has said it recognises the important role that Southam United plays in the community and has been working closely with the club to explore options for completing the clubhouse and securing the long-term benefits it will bring to players, volunteers and residents.