Johnstone Burgh's bid for £50,000 towards a new all-weather pitch looks set to go back to councillors in the next board cycle, after council officers confirmed they're no longer waiting on any further information.

Renfrewshire Council's Communities and Housing Policy Board agreed to defer the application when it met on Tuesday 27 October. No funding was awarded at the meeting. The £50,000 would be a contribution towards building the pitch rather than paying for the whole project.

Why it was deferred

Councillor Iain McMillan asked what extra information was still needed. Laura McIntyre, the council's head of policy and partnerships, said that when the report was written, officers had wanted more detail on external funding and the overall funding package. They had also looked at the possible impact on other local services, including pitch provision and demand.

"I can advise that, at present, there is no further information that we are seeking in relation to the application," she said. "Simply, the application had to come back to the panel, and then we would be in a position to bring it back to board."

She explained that complex applications sometimes have to go back to the officer panel more than once, and accepted that this can be frustrating for applicants.

"A massive difference"

Cllr McMillan backed more all-weather pitches in Johnstone, pointing to the pressure on existing facilities. "These all-weather pitches make a massive difference to not only the club but the community," he said.

With Thorn Athletic's planned pitch and Burgh's proposal, he said Johnstone would have three. "I am not saying that that is enough, I would welcome double that figure, but it is a hell of a lot better than what we have at the moment."

He contrasted Burgh's weekend with Renfrew's. Renfrew, who play on an artificial surface, won their Scottish Cup tie and are into the third round, while Burgh's game was called off because they play on grass. He added that a new pitch would free up space at the local hub, where two large clubs compete for one pitch, with the growth of girls' football adding to the demand.

What happens next

Ms McIntyre said the officer panel meets monthly, with meetings in November and December, and that she intends to bring forward a recommendation in the next cycle. Cllr McMillan said he understood the next board meeting would be towards the end of January.

Image: Keanie Park, Johnstone. Photo: Jonny Keen, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.