Terms and Conditions relating to the hire of Chorley Council-owned Sports Pitches and Changing Rooms

These conditions apply to “the Hirer”. The Hirer includes every individual, club, group or association that may be permitted to use the ground and facilities or part thereof for any organised or practice or friendly match or training session. The Secretary of any such League, club, group, organisation, or association shall ensure that prior to entry onto the ground each individual member thereof is made fully aware of these conditions and duly observes them.

Conditions of Hire

1. Each Hirer of a pitch or pitches from the Council under the terms of this Hire Agreement shall where possible have the use of the same pitch or pitches throughout the season. The Council reserves the right to change the allocation without prior notice thereof.  The decision of the Corporate Director (Commercial Services) or his representative in this respect shall be final and binding upon the Hirer.
2. Sub-letting of pitches/facilities is not permitted. The Hirer shall not make any charge to spectators for admission to the ground for the purpose of watching any game being played nor shall they make any other charges whatsoever. 
3. By signing the application form for the seasonal hire of a council sports pitch the signatory accepts the responsibility for payment of the appropriate fee. Unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Council, hiring fees are due for payment in full on the dates shown on the Hirer agreement. The Council retains the legal possession of all pitches and reserves the right to withdraw permission to use any of the Council’s pitches if monies due under the terms of this Hire agreement remain unpaid four weeks after the due date
4. Pitch booking requests must be made by using the correct form and returning this to the Authorised Council Officer.
5. Pitches shall be prepared and maintained by the grounds staff appointed by the Council who shall have full authority to decide upon the fitness of a ground for play and the allocation of pitches, the terms of Condition 1 above notwithstanding. Such decisions shall be final and binding.
6. In the event that a match is called off by the Council, due to the ground being unfit for play, the Hirer shall identify an alternate date within the season and check the availability with the Council’s Authorised Officer. The Council’s Authorised Officer will assist the Hirer to complete fixtures were possible. All fixtures must be completed before 31 May each year.  There is no right of refund for matches cancelled if an alternative date cannot be identified.
7. The hirer and appointed match official(s) are responsible for assessing the fitness of a particular pitch, goalposts etc. to suit the level of play once a ground is deemed fit for general play by the Council. The Council does not accept any responsibility whatsoever for injury caused by pitch or goalpost condition etc. relating to use of its grounds.
8. Pitch hiring dates allocated to clubs, teams, competitions or individuals may not be changed or varied in any way without permission of the Council. Contract hiring fees already paid or due or overdue to be paid will not be subject to refund or waiver in the event that a Hirer does not utilise their allocation.
9. A pitch may only be used for the normal period of time in respect of the match being played and for the purpose the pitch is hired (including legitimate periods of extra or added time) unless prior permission has been obtained from the Authorised Council Officer. General practice or casual play of any description on match pitches is prohibited.
10. Hirers should supply a copy of their current Public Liability Insurance cover note to the Council prior to hire, and this should cover the period of hire. The mandatory insurance covers Hirers for public liability claims arising from the use of the facilities, which are the subject of a hiring agreement. Chorley Borough Council (CBC) requires £5 million public liability cover from all hirers. Injuries to players etc are not included in the insurance and those persons are recommended to arrange their own “Personal Accident Insurance” through their own insurer.
11. Hirers are required to provide a comprehensive Risk Assessment covering their sporting activities and general use of the Councils facilities, including, but not limited to pitches, public access, car parking, changing rooms, safeguarding, personal safety, COSHH etc.
12. Hirers undertaking sporting activities and sessions, where attendees are, on average, under the age of sixteen, are required to provide details of all Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) checks and any associated safeguarding systems they have in place. Enhanced DBS checks are required for main hirers, coaches, trainers, officials, and other adults associated directly with the group’s activity and hire. More information can be found by emailing FAchecks@TheFA.com
13. Motor vehicles must be parked in the car parking areas and must not be driven or parked on any part of the playing or grass areas of the Council’s grounds. Parking should take into consideration the local residents and should not cause unnecessary obstruction to public access.
14. The Hirer shall always conduct themselves in a proper and orderly fashion and they shall not use, or permit, the use of racist, obscene, or indecent language.  Any breach of this or the preceding conditions shall entitle the Corporate Director (Commercial Services) or his representative forthwith to cancel the Hire agreement without remuneration.
15. Each Hirer shall be liable for any damage caused to the pitch, equipment, building, fences or any other of the Council’s property by their own members, or the members and supporters of a club against whom they are playing. For all damage done or occasioned the Hirer shall be financially responsible under the terms of this Condition. The decision of the Council as to the assessment of the damage and the cost thereof to the Hirer shall be final.
16. Changing rooms must be left clean and tidy at the end of each use. Hirers should report unclean changing rooms or damage to fixtures and fittings to grounds staff before using them (Please note: This is very important as it protects each Hirer from accusations of damage or misuse caused by others). Boots, balls, and other equipment, should, under no circumstances, be cleaned in showers or wash basins, and boots should not be ‘banged’ on walls or other building structures to assist in the removal of mud and grass.
17. The consumption of alcoholic beverages is not permitted within the grounds or changing facilities and consumed therein. It is the hirers responsibility to manage this during their hire and report any non-compliance to the Council.
18. The Council observes a strict no-smoking and vaping policy in and around all Council owned assets, and this should be adhered to throughout the period of hire by all hirers and associated members. It is the hirers responsibility to manage this during their hire and report any non-compliance to the Council.
19. Persistent or gross misuse of changing rooms or other facilities may result in sanctions being imposed on those in breach of sections 16, 17 and 18.  Failure to comply with these mandatory requirements, may result in, after initial investigation, termination of Hire Agreement without remuneration.
20. The Council does not accept any responsibility whatsoever for any article lost, stolen, or damaged on the Council’s grounds, including all forms of vehicular conveyance, which shall be parked at the driver’s/owner’s risk.
21. These ‘Conditions of Hire’ must always be observed and carried out and no variations will be permitted without the written consent of the Council’s Authorised Officer. In the event of any instance of flouting or breach of these conditions, the Council reserves the right to terminate the Hire Agreement without remuneration.
22. For service and usage changes, the Council reserves the right to terminate any Hire Agreement by giving prior written notice of one calendar month to the Hirer concerned, with pro-rata refund of hiring fees.
23. Football pitches are cut and lined every two weeks during the football season August till 31st May. Last cut before winter is first week in November this is dependent on weather.
24. During the off-season June and July groups are not to use the football pitches to allow the pitches to rest and maintenance work will be carried out.