City boss Mike Whitby claims Birmingham golf courses offer value for money despite fee increases
Feb 6 2009 by Paul Dale, Birmingham Mail
GOLFERS think Birmingham’s municipal courses offer great value for money despite huge increases in green fees, city boss Mike Whitby has claimed.
The seven courses, which lose £500,000 a year, have been hit by a series of sharp price rises, leaving pensioners fuming that they can’t afford to play.
But Coun Whitby (Con, Harborne) said surveys carried out by the council showed an 80 per cent customer satisfaction rate.
And he hinted that further increases in green fees on top of a recent 25 per cent jump could not be ruled out.
He said the courses had to provide value for money both for golfers and for council taxpayers.
Coun Whitby added: “We have to bear in mind that when you look at the profile of golf, two-thirds of courses are losing money at the moment.
“That has to be borne in mind against giving the citizens of Birmingham the opportunity to play golf.”
His comments came as it emerged that an inquiry into the future of the cash draining courses is yet to report some 18 months after it was set up.
The review was ordered in July 2007 by council chief executive Stephen Hughes as it became clear that the city’s courses were registering huge losses despite benefiting from £450,000 of improvement work.
Assistant leisure director Penny Smith was appointed to chair the review group, but although it has monthly meetings its findings are yet to be given to Ray Hassall, the cabinet member for leisure, sport and culture.
The council said a combination of wet summers and competition from private pay-and-play operators means that fewer people are using its courses.
Labour leisure spokesman Coun Muhammad Afzal warned that increases in green fees are counter-productive, will drive more golfers away and push up the losses even further.
He said: “Our charges are already higher than neighbouring authorities and higher than the private sector. Price rises simply cannot be justified.”
