THE HOLFORD SPORTS HUB AND OSCOTT RESIDENTS

In June 2010, CSPAN – Community Sports & Physical Activity Network – was set up. This has over 70 clubs/organisations affiliated to it and is referred to as ‘Godfather for sport and physical activity’ in the constituency which naturally includes Oscott..
Holford Drive Community Sports HUB. Holford Drive There is an investment of £1.2m being made for capital costs to develop the Holford Drive site into a community led sports club to facilitate Cricket, Football, Boxing, and many other sports. The investment towards the project will rise to £2m plus. Oscott have been asked to contribute just 25K towards this to help speed up the development.
Community groups, sports clubs and members of the community interested in sports will be  at the heart of this project.
 Furthermore, national sporting bodies such as ECB [English & Wales Cricket Board] and the FA [Football Association] are involved in order to provide the relevant support to sustain grassroots level sporting activity and encourage sport in this area including Oscott.
This is meant to be a flag ship sports centre for the North of Birmingham and in Oscott we are lucky it is just on our door step.
There will be a ideal opportunity for those living in Oscott (and sports clubs based in Oscott) to use this facility and also the extensive help given by CSPAN.
The Council in its wisdom have given the Oscott Ward 25k which must however be spent on projects on a capital only basis. (Bricks and mortar) and after consultations ( there have been presentations at the Perry Barr Constituency Committee where residents could attend) which are still taking place the Hub seems a good investment. Oscott Councillors will when the scheme is finalised be monitoring it to ensure Oscott residents get more then their monies worth from this excellent project. 
Oscott youngsters deserve these modern and quality sports facilities and it would be a sad day if we deprived them of them for a perceived narrow political gain by some individuals.


This is an all party iniative as indicated below


The Cabinet Member for Leisure, Sport and Culture, Councillor Martin Mullaney on behalf of the Concervative/ Lib Council said “In this Olympic year the spotlight will be on sport more than ever before and we are grateful to the ECB for giving their support in the development of our ‘Sporting Hub’ Project.  This initiative focuses on the importance of sporting activities and organisations at grass roots level and by working with community groups we hope to reshape community sports provision in Birmingham.”
The Labour Group are also in support.

If you would like to know more about this project or have an interest in a sports organisations in Oscott which could befit please pop along to one of my councillor Surgeries for a chat or contact Councillor Barbara Dring who has done a lot to ensure this project goes ahead.