News from Sheffield Labour

Angela Smith MP welcomes Sports Minister to Stocksbridge

Gerry Sutcliffe, the Sports Minister visits Park Steels, and other Stocksbridge Sports Clubs.

With Over 40,000 amateur Sports Clubs missing out on a collective £100 million a year of tax savings, Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe, the Sports Minister recently visited Stocksbridge to urge thousands more Sports Clubs to register for tax benefits and share in a £100 million windfall

He wants more clubs to register with the Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC) scheme to help drive a sporting legacy from 2012, just as the Stocksbridge Tennis, Rugby and Netball Clubs are registered with the CASC scheme.

The rallying cry comes as Sutcliffe visited the Stocksbridge clubs including the Stocksbridge Tennis Club which benefits from the scheme to publicise a scheme which has resulted in over £60 million worth of tax savings for sports clubs in the last seven years. There are over 5,500 clubs currently registered with the CASC scheme.

CASC legislation came in via the 2002 Finance Act and enables amateur sports clubs that meet certain criteria to qualify for a number of tax advantages. These include:

* Mandatory business rate relief for 80 per cent of the total business rates bill

* The potential to reclaim Gift Aid on donations from individuals – for every £1 donated clubs can claim an extra 25p tax refund from the government with an additional 3p per £1 available until April 2011.

* Exemption from Corporation Tax on profits if their annual trading income is under £30,000 per year

Clubs eligible are those that encourage participation in a qualifying sport, are open to the whole community, without discrimination, and ensure profits go back into the club, benefitting sport.

Minister for Sport GERRY SUTCLIFFE said: “It’s great that we have signed up more than 5,500 clubs to the Community Amateur Sports Club scheme and that many sports clubs are reaping the benefits it brings. But there are thousands of clubs out there that are missing out.

“Sports clubs will play a crucial role in helping us reach our goal of getting 2 million people more active by 2013. Being part of the scheme means that clubs will have more funds at their disposal to help increase participation.”

Local MP, Angela Smith said: “I am delighted Gerry decided to come to Stocksbridge to urge clubs take advantage of the CASCs scheme. We are lucky in Stocksbridge to have a series of thriving local sporting clubs. For most amateur clubs the hardest part of survival can be making ends meet this scheme helps by allowing clubs to claim things such rate relief on buildings. I would encourage all clubs to sign up to this just as the sporting clubs in Stocksbridge have already done so.”

Financial Secretary to the Treasury STEPHEN TIMMS said: “Sports clubs make a great contribution to the local communities they serve, and this scheme is a way for the Government to recognise that contribution. I urge all eligible clubs to register as CASCs and make the most of the support available to them.”

CCPR’s (Central Council of Physical Recreation) Chair BRIGID SIMMONDS said:

“Thanks to the CASC scheme, thousands of sports clubs have received a boost from the taxman; in fact over £60 million has been saved by the 5,500 clubs already registered. Through registering as a CASC, clubs can keep the money they have raised in the community. That means it can be re-invested in kit, in coaching and in facilities – all for the good of the community.

“In these difficult financial times, CCPR is urging sports clubs to take advantage of this great opportunity to maximize every penny and through the cascinfo website, they can find out how. CCPR is continuing to work with DCMS to see how the benefits of the scheme could be improved.”

PETE HACKLETON, senior manager in Deloitte’s Sports Business Group, said: “The advantages of the CASC scheme are clear. The tax savings allow clubs to invest in better facilities and encourage more young people to take up sport. Taking advantage of the existing tax benefits for community sport is the first crucial step towards nurturing our sporting abilities and enhancing the nation’s future sporting potential.”

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