Sporting charity gets a result after budget vote (From Warrington Guardian)

Sporting charity gets a result after budget vote

A HARTFORD-based sports charity is celebrating this week after the county council agreed funding for another year.

As previously reported in the Guardian, Cheshire County Council had proposed cutting the annual financial aid it gives to Sport Cheshire - a charity set up in 1989 to improve community development through sport, development of sporting support and regional education and training - owing to a budget shortfall.

But following a nine-hour budget meeting, held at county hall in Chester on Thursday, the council has overturned its decision and voted to supply the £86,000 grant for the coming year.

Staff at Sport Cheshire's Moss Farm headquarters say they are delighted at the news.

A Sports Cheshire spokeswoman said: "It is absolutely fantastic news and everyone is over the moon. This decision means we will have financial stability for another year to come.

"There is no guarantee how things will continue after this period but we are so happy they have overturned their plans.

"The grant enables us to maintain our core running costs - such as covering office bills - and without securing this support, the organisation would no longer have been viable. We would not have been able to continue."

And the spokeswoman believes this decision will help attract further external funding.

She added: "Without this we would not have been able to secure the external funding - which will account for more than £4.6million investment into sport in Cheshire and Warrington during the next three years - and it would have meant the end for events such as the youth games.

"This news is a positive result for everyone here and for the community as a whole.

"It will ensure that Sport Cheshire continues to make a difference to sporting development for the future and in light of the Olympics coming to England, this is great."

Visit www.sportcheshire.org for further organisation details.