Statement: Menzieshill Pricing Decision

Following our joint campaign with Menzieshill Community Centre, Councillor Michael Marra and other local sports clubs, basketallscotland can report there will be a freeze in the community centre’s pricing structure until March 2020.

This in itself is positive. However, we are disappointed that there is no consultation planned, as previously promised, to determine the impact on clubs and communities when the new pricing model comes into force.

Effectively, the community users have been given an additional six months for the sport users or the clubs to find 152% an hour increase in hall hire fees. In an economically disadvantaged area, we are concerned as to where the council believe the users can find this extra finance on a weekly basis. Increasing household incomes within a whole community in a short space of time is difficult and, in this case, unrealistic. Dundee Madsons Basketball Club is one of the sports clubs who will be significantly affected by the increase.

We were disappointed to learn that the Menzieshill Community Centre stakeholders were not permitted to make their case before the council and to explain the impact of the price increases.

Councillor Michael Marra, who supports the campaign by basketballscotland and the sports clubs who will be affected, had the following to say about the pricing freeze and an apparent non-consultation process:

“In recent weeks we brought together the Council and Leisure & Culture Dundee to try and find a solution. That meeting showed there was not even a basic shared understanding of how things would work in the new centre. We managed to secure a stay of execution of a few months for clubs. But we need a real consultation on what people can afford for the long term. That is the extent of my request to council. I think it is reasonable and responsible. To refuse to listen to these people at all is a gross insult.”

Despite working to positively influence the pricing model, basketballscotland realise this is a short-term solution and will continue to work with Dundee Madsons Basketball Club, Menzieshill Community Centre, other sport clubs and Councillor Marra. We will aim to ensure the communities stakeholders receive a full consultation to determine the impact of the pricing model from March 2020.