Council consider Football in the Community grant
Popular Exeter charity, Football in the Communty (FITC) may be set to be receive a considerable grant from Exeter City Council.
The Council is proposing to give the charity, that uses sports to promote education, participation, health and wellbeing and social inclusion a grant of £19,800 that could secure its long-term plans for expansion.
The money has been earmarked from the City Council's New Homes Bonus Local Infrastructure Fund and if granted would be used to pay for a feasibility study looking at the redevelopment of the Fountain Centre at St James Park, where FITC is based.
Jamie Vittles, Head of Community at Exeter City FC, said: "The Fountain Centre is a great base for us but we now need a larger and more modern headquarters to allow us to expand, particularly for our delivery of education."
The charity hopes that the future may see the construction of a new educational facility for its professional coaching courses funded by a potential housing element.
Exeter City Football Club has agreed that this work can consider the possibility of using an adjacent area of land including the St James Centre to enable a more comprehensive development.
Julian Tagg, Vice Chairman of Exeter City Football Club, said: "Football in the Community does so much good work in the city and beyond and it is vital that it moves forward. We would be happy to look at a residential development on the site if it would provide the funding to allow the charity to secure its long-term future."
The grant will go before the City Council's Executive on 18 March, having been recommended for approval by the Major Grants and New Homes Bonus Panel.
Council Deputy Leader, Cllr Rachel Sutton, said: "Exeter City’s Football in the Community team do a wonderful job in the community and the time has come for them to look at a new home."
The council executive will also consider a £16,000 grant towards alterations to the St Michaels and All Angels Church in Alphington to make the building more accessible and a further £100,000 to be split between the Wear united and Newton Community association to fund proposals for new community buildings.
