Sport England answer questions over Non Leagues £14m rescue package amid concerns

Sport England answer questions over Non Leagues £14m rescue package amid big concerns from a number of clubs in the football pyramid.

Those at West Sussex Gazette understand that funding help is on the way to leagues such as the Isthmian and Southern Combination among others who have been hit by the pandemic.

But many questions remain over the government rescue package, especially with so many sides not getting any kind of income to pay the bills.

We have hardly seen any action since last March and none since Christmas with extra lockdown measures put in place to provide the spread and rise in numbers.

There is plenty of anticipation to find out all the important detail on how and when clubs can benefit from the £14m cash support which allotted for those between steps three and six of the non league system.

Many sides are upset that there is no concrete details about the funding since it was first announced, and are worried it will all be available only as loans, instead of a full bulk, with many of worried they are unable to afford to repay it.

With the country enduring another nationwide lockdown, West Sussex Gazette have asked questions on behalf of (nearby to them) clubs operating at Step Three (Isthmian League Premier Division), four (Isthmian League South-East Division), five (SCFL Premier) and six (SCFL Division One).

The plan Winter Sport Survival Package, set up by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, includes details that the £14million would be available for steps three to six.

This was in addition to £10million that was to be handed out to National League clubs, who have already had some sort of cash to cover playing out the first part of their season, with majority of it played behind closed doors.

Questions put to clubs at Isthmian and SCFL level are as follows:

– What it is the status of this £14m – is it definitely coming, and if so when?

– Some clubs have expressed dismay they have heard nothing about it since the initial announcement – why have they not?

– How much of it will be loans, not grants, given that the feeling on the ground is clubs won’t be able to afford to pay them back unless it is over a very long period of time?

– Who will decide how it is divided between clubs? The leagues, or the FA, or those dishing out the grants?

Sport England have responded to these questions, and as administrators of the fund, they say that they are maintaining to work with the DCMS as well as the impacted sports on the delivery of the package.

Before Christmas they set up an independent board to make decisions a priority, with details being made known to the football community on the 15th of December.

Applications have been asked for from a variety of impacted organisations, so they can focus on those who urgently need help, and conversations with other entitled organisations is expected to go on in the next few weeks.

Sport England add that the board are considering applications and will be coming together regularly, with a formal announcement of the first phases of confirmed funding planned to be revealed next week (from the 18th of January).

Responding to the question of ‘loan or grant’, they have claimed that this will depend on each individual club’s circumstances and finances.

Sport England have unfortunately not clarified whether leagues or the FA have the decision in deciding how much funding goes to a particular club.

West Sussex Gazette will continue to get answers to other questions about the distribution of the £14million rescue package.

They have also asked: “Is it up to individual clubs to apply for funding – and if so is there a limit to how much they can apply for? Is there a deadline for them to apply?”

The query applies if it’s leagues or the FA governing body who have the responsibility for applying on behalf of all their member clubs.

As Sport England respond to questions over Non Leagues £14m rescue package amid concerns, what do you make of the ongoing situation?

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