Who are City of Edinburgh Basketball Club?
City of Edinburgh Basketball Club has been based in Portobello for the last 30 years. The Club has a playing membership of over 250 offering opportunities from aged 5 all the way up to senior playing across 21 teams. City of Edinburgh is one of Scotland’s most successful basketball Clubs with over 120 national titles.
The Club aims to provide a welcoming environment to enable children and young people to develop valuable life skills of forming positive supportive relationships, team work, communication and a strong work ethic building confidence, self-esteem and resilience.
City of Edinburgh have aspirations of encouraging more young people to take part in basketball and realise these benefits – by being part of a team, learning new skills and for their emotional and physical well-being. The Club seek to create a fun, inclusive environment and to feel and act like a family where the Club and its members support and encourage each other to be the best they can be.
What is City of Edinburgh’s Concern?
Less people will play basketball and enjoy a healthy active lifestyle:
City of Edinburgh Basketball Club believe that increased costs could lead to the membership of our Club, and other nearby sports clubs dropping significantly. As a charity or local sports club, Clubs must pass on increased costs to members, persistent fundraising can only take them so far. But when Clubs like City of Edinburgh are faced with cost increases of at least 65% then sadly, some people will simply not be able to afford to continue playing with us and other Clubs across Edinburgh.
Possible reduction in children’s provision:
City of Edinburgh currently use Holy Rood HS for their MiniHoops (primary 1-3) and Under 10s (primary 4-5). Both sessions take place on a Sunday morning, because this will be deemed as “non-core hours”, City of Edinburgh are looking at an immediate possible increase of approx. £3,500 per annum to continue to provide for this outlet for these age groups. This is an increase of 94% on 2017/18 costs.
Future uncertainty at Portobello High School:
City of Edinburgh Basketball Club currently use Portobello six days, sometimes seven depending on games per week and have enjoyed a very strong relationship with the school for the past twenty-five years – the school is synonymous with basketball in Edinburgh.
The current position leaves the Club uncertain to what level of facility hire prices they will be charged for Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at Portobello after 31 December 2018. City of Edinburgh Council are currently undertaking a facilities management review and will not announce the results of this review and its effect on let prices until January. This makes it impossible for them to complete proper budget projections and setting of fees for the coming season with the basketball season running August-June, not a position any charity or local community club can afford to be in.
City of Edinburgh, together with basketballscotland are proposing that any changes are postponed until the start of the 2019-20 academic year to allow Clubs to prepare and budget for the coming year.
What can you do to support clubs in Edinburgh?
If you would like to support our campaign, you can share our tweets about the campaign HERE. We would also encourage you to contact your local councillor or MSP to raise your concerns about the increase in prices.
