Tuesday 5 April 2011

Tennisgate - it's working well then?

I took this photograph. It's a sunny day and just right to go out and enjoy some sport. Up until now, these tennis courts would've been busy, but there's a distinct lack of human interaction going on.

I think I can safely assume that Greenwich Council's flash of inspiration to charge for the use of this sporting facility has alienated EVERYONE in our community. So much for Greenwich Council working for Greenwich residents eh?


8 comments:

Anonymous said...

'You cannot be serious'!!

C'mon people. Get in touch with your inner-McEnroe and just refuse to pay to play.

And, anyway, it is entirely unclear from new flimsy signage how people are supposed to pay.

Dimps said...

To charge at all is incomprehensible - but £7.50 per hour??? Did it go up on 1st April?

John Fahy said...

Hands up,we got it wrong. Tennis charges across the Borough by inflation. We are committed to developing Tennis in the Borough and people pay in many Centres. A review is underway and we will be consulting on the final report. Any thoughts, feed into the process. Why not form a Tennis Club in Plumstead and encourage young and old to participate. This is certainly not a poll tax moment.

john fahy said...

OOP,should have read,charges increased by inflation

Anonymous said...

Wow you are developing tennis in Greenwich that's great councillor Fahy! This is a great way of doing it. By charging you have now brought everyones attention to the courts in Plumstead Common and highlighted the need for tennis even more. The courts are used by the young and old already, by making this charge you have just emptied the tennis courts which were very busy with young and old people.

dimps said...

Mr Fahy,

1. There is a tennis club in Plumstead already. If you were really committed to developing tennis in the Borough, you would already be aware of this. Surely, public courts are for everyone - not just those who can afford to join clubs.

2. An increase from £0.00 to £7.50 reflects which inflation rate? This is mathematically impossible. Assuming a former penny charge, rather than nothing, this would represent an increase of 75,000% As far as I am aware, nobody has collected fees for the courts on Plumstead Common for more than thirty years. When there was a charge, there were also tennis coaches.

3. You say that a review is underway yet, bearing in mind the school holidays are underway, the courts are still empty.

4. My friend and I took our children to Greenwich Theatre yesterday and, time being of the essence, were horrified to discover that parking charges amounted to £10 between us, then had to pay an further £5 as the entertainment ran over time. Are you seriously expecting to charge £2.50 per hour for people to visit a building site in 2012?

5. OK, so the Government is reducing payments to the Council by £63m over the next four years (which is not the same as the oft-stated request that the Council find savings to that level). But with reserves of £133,000,000 (representing 15% of gross spending and nearly 50% of net spending), how can Greenwich Council justify the cuts they are making, let alone the increases in charges? Furthermore, why were the reserves not included in the budget published in the booklet, "Your Council Tax Explained 2011-2012"?

Anonymous said...

There are two tennis clubs in SE18 already - one the Shooters Hill Tennis Club of which we are members and the other whose name escapes me at Shooters Hill Campus. I also play at these courts on the common, there is a different demographic who play here, a lot of time with their children and it is encouraging to see. Some of the players are pretty good and I have in the past asked them to consider joining our tennis club as their standard is high - summing up, they can't afford to. So they play here, enjoy it and play for free. There has also been a local tennis league that has used these courts and the ones by the High Street. These are good courts, well used and enjoyed by the local community.
What next charging children to use the local playgrounds?

Anonymous said...

What about the individuals giving private lessons on these courts why don't you make them pay, also it needs managing far better than it is now, ie, stopping kids on there bikes and skateboards and also people using it for their dogs doo doos halh hearted attempt to rectify this issue, I would loved to of been a fly on the wall at that meeting, in the private sector we have meetings and then more meetings until we have a solid plan then you roll out you're new idea, Greenwich Council seems to do it the other way around, I'm also amazed as our local councillor you're not aware of the clubs/facilities in our area, I'm sure you are well aware what's in Blackheath and Greenwich though, Plumstead is always forgotten