Booking Conditions and Regulations for the Hire of Sports Pitches and Associated facilities

1. Applications for the use of pitches in Fareham will only be accepted once a completed registration form has been submitted. The Admin and Support Officer must be notified of any changes to these details during the season (in particular name, address and phone number of club contacts) at the earliest opportunity. A copy of your insurance policy as per paragraph 14 of the booking conditions will also be required.
    
2. The Council reserves the right to ask for further particulars regarding any proposed bookings.
    
3. The person signing the application form must be 18 years of age or over and will be deemed to be the hirer and personally responsible for the payment of hiring charges to Fareham Borough Council together with the security and cleanliness of the buildings.
    
4. The charge for the hire of the pitches shall be in accordance with the Council's current scale of charges.
    
5. Clubs who benefit from a seasonal charge at a specified site for an agreed number of games will not qualify for a refund should they not play the agreed number of games.

• Should a number of cancellations occur due to bad weather conditions or other reasons, arrangements should be made for those fixtures to be replayed.
• Clubs who play a greater number of games will be charged on a casual basis.

6. In winter, pitch requests for weekend matches should normally be made by 5.00 pm on the preceding Tuesday.  Pitch allocations are finalised at 12 noon on Wednesday and late booking requests up to and beyond this time will only be considered at the discretion of the Admin and Support Officer and will depend upon the prevailing circumstances.
    
7. Pre-season football fixture requests should be made at least 7 days in advance of the proposed match and paid for, prior to play at the full rate.
    
8. In summer, cricket matches on both grass and artificial pitches at both weekends and in mid week must be booked at least 7 days before the proposed day of the hiring.
    
9. Booking requests for cricket giving less notice than this will only be considered at the discretion of the Admin and Support Officer and will depend upon the prevailing circumstances.
    
10. If the hirer cancels a weekend booking later than midday Wednesday before the day of the match or training session, the Council may, entirely at their own discretion, decide to charge for the use of the facility
     
11. The Council reserves the right to cancel the hiring if at any time, in the opinion of the Head of Leisure and Community, the pitches are unfit, or to close or forbid the use of pitches in the event of a breach of these conditions.

• Where it is deemed that the pitch is unfit, there will be no charge.
• The Council shall not be liable for any expenditure incurred or loss sustained by the hirer  or any other person arising therefrom or connected therewith.
• Where it is not possible for the Council to cancel pitches due to unforeseen circumstances and matches are called off by pitch inspectors, referees or umpires on the day of the fixture due to inclement weather and pitch conditions, there will be no charge for the fixture upon receipt of a letter, telephone message, voice mail message or e-mail from the secretary of the home club.
• Notification in this event must be received within 48 hours of the date of the fixture.  If a match has started and is abandoned, full payment must be made.

12. The Council accepts no responsibility for any injury to the hirer or any other person, or loss or damage to the property of the hirer or any other person, arising by the virtue of their presence on the site or sue of any associated facilities (changing rooms etc).

• There is no access to emergency telephones, at the sites.
• It is the responsibility of the Home team to make the necessary provisions to contact the emergency services, i.e. be familiar with the nearest public telephone box or have use of a mobile telephone.
• Similarly, clubs must make their own arrangements for First Aid facilities.

13. All items left unattended at any time in the changing rooms are left entirely at their owner's risk and no liability will attach nor will be accepted by Fareham Borough Council for any loss and damage howsoever caused.
     
14. The hirer shall indemnify the Council from and against all actions, costs, claims or demands whatsover arising under statute or common law or in consequence of the licence hereby granted to use the pitches and shall obtain a public liability insurance policy with an indemnity from £2,000,000 (Two million pounds), noting the Council's interest thereon, a copy of which is to be submitted to the Council.
     
15. The hirer shall not transfer the benefit of the hiring to any other person or organisation.
     
16. The pitches shall not be used for any purpose other than that stated in the application.

• The hirer's attention is drawn to the fact that pitches are primarily used for the allocated sports (football, rugby, hockey, cricket etc) and that he/she must take all proper precautions to avoid unnecessary damage to the playing areas. 
• The hirer shall be responsible for costs incurred by the Council for repairing and making good any damage to the pitches and associated facilities (changing rooms) whether caused by the Hirer, his/her team members or members of the opposing team. 
• Where several clubs use a facility in rapid succession and damage is caused and blame cannot be apportioned, all clubs will be charged an equal part of the cost.
• It is the responsibility of the Home team to collect equipment from the changing rooms, fixing nets onto goalposts and erecting corner flags etc, subsequently returning the corner flags and net pins to the referee's room immediately after the game and nets removed from the goalposts and placed in the black bins provided in the changing rooms.
• If clubs do not remove and put equipment away, especially the removal of nets from the goalposts a charge of £25.00 will be made to cover the cost of travel to the site and manpower incurred as a result.
• Any losses arising by not complying with this clause will result in Home Clubs being recharged for the cost of replacing this equipment.

17. The hirer shall be responsible for his team and his opposition for keeping the premises, both inside and outside, clean and tidy and ensure that all lights, taps, showers and other equipment in the changing rooms are turned off; doors and windows are closed, gates and security shutters to the sports ground (where applicable) are shut before leaving.

• If the changing rooms are not left in a clean condition a charge at present set at £25.00 will automatically be charged to the hirer.  There will also be a charge to cover any costs of vandalism caused, where doors are not properly secured and illegal access is gained.
• Any problems noted upon arrival at the changing facilities or the pitch area should be reported in the morning following the game.
• For this use the contact the Leisure and Community Division 01329 236100, or e-mail customerservices@fareham.gov.uk.

18. In respect of cricket, all fixtures other than weekend matches will normally be allocated on artificial pitches, unless specifically requested.
     
19. The hirer shall ensure that all cars and other vehicles connected with the hirer or his/her group/club are parked in the car parks provided, or in some other place so as not to obstruct any public or private right of way or be a nuisance or source of annoyance to any person.

• The hirer shall not bring cars or other vehicles onto the grassed areas of the sports ground or allow them to be brought there.
• The hirer shall comply with all the bye laws and regulations in force and with all requirements of the Director of Leisure and Environment and the Police.

20. Where playing facilities are located in the vicinity of a housing area and when it is necessary for clubs to retrieve their ball from private property, clubs are reminded that unless consent from the owner has been sought, you are requested not to enter private property which may be considered as trespass.

• Should evidence of trespass and abuse to residents be proven, the Council will cancel the hiring and forbid any further use of these pitches. The hirer shall be responsible for his team and his opposition for any infringements and damage caused to third party property.

21. None of the Council sites are staffed during evenings and weekends.  Clubs are therefore advised to check this aspect when booking and to make arrangements for the collection and return of keys (on Fridays and Mondays).

• Where applicable, teams should ensure that they have been given a key to the height restriction barrier to enable the passage of emergency vehicles.
• The height restriction barrier must be secured prior to leaving the site.

22. If there is any doubt about playing conditions, a team representative should check the Sports Pitch Weather Check via the Outdoor Recreation page after 12 .00 noon on a Friday for information of any unfit pitches in bad weather. Subsequently pitch inspectors and or referees/umpires make decisions on play
     
23. When playing conditions are uncertain and rely upon a pitch inspection, the decision whether to play or not is subject to the Pitch Inspector and Referee's decision.  Clubs are requested to telephone the appropriate Pitch Inspection between 9.15 and 9.45 am on the day of the game.

• For information on how to contact the Pitch Inspector, (football) please call tel 01329 236100, or refer to 'Hiring Checklist' (178 Kb) provided on registering.

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