Council to pay Chelsea FC to promote Sutton Life Centre

9:48am Thursday 14th June 2012 in Sutton Exclusive By James Pepper

Paying the Blues: An artist's impression of what the Life Centre could look like with some Chelsea branding Paying the Blues: An artist's impression of what the Life Centre could look like with some Chelsea branding

Sutton Council is set to pay £59,000 a year to one of the richest football clubs in the world to try and attract visitors to the Sutton Life Centre.

Chelsea, whose owner Roman Abramovich is worth an estimated £11 billion, will have a base in the £8 million centre if plans are approved at a meeting tonight. (Thursday.

The council will pay the Champions League winners, who are seventh richest in the world and thought to be worth £473 million, £59,000 to "increase engagement levels and profile for the Sutton Life Centre".

The figure, which is equivalent to what Chelsea's captain John Terry is paid for two days' work, will also fork out for a borough wide healthy eating programme for schools as well as a social inclusion programme, a plan to tackle absenteeism in schools and a high profile launch.

The Sutton Life Centre relies on attracting about 48,000 visitors a year to make approximately £9,500 net profit.

Up until February this year, just 153 schools visited the centre since it opened in October 2010, despite council claims the education facility would pay for itself by hosting 1,300 visits a year from schools.

Conservative councillor Tony Shields, who is on the environments and neighbourhoods committee, said: "Never before have I seen such a desperate attempt to bail out a failing concept with yet more public money, this time to the cost of children's services.

"The last budget provided the Life Centre with an additional £596,000 clearly this was not enough to sustain this money hungry white elephant."

Chelsea Football Club Foundation, which was set up by Chelsea to fulfil a social responsibility pledges, approached the council with the initiative and if it is approved it will be the first of its kind between the club and a local authority.

The club say it could attract private sector funding through its strong brand and have proposed creating a development manager post to be based at the Life Centre on Alcorn Close, Sutton.

Chelsea will help the council "in marketing the Life Centre by attracting schools from across London and the south east."

In a report to be put to the Environment and Neighbourhood Committee tonight, it states: "The reach of the Chelsea brand combined with the added cache of a half day session with Chelsea FC should prove an attractive incentive for schools in booking a SLC experience."

The council will stump up the money from "existing resources" within youth services, the culture and leisure team and the Safer Sutton Partnership.

Warren Shadbolt, Executive Head of Community Safety said: "The funding for the project comes equally from the Safer Sutton Partnership, the Children and Young People’s Directorate and Sports Development.

"It is funding that was already allocated but had not yet been assigned to specific projects.

"Among the huge array of benefits Sutton’s residents would get from this partnership, if it goes ahead, are schemes to promote reading, healthy eating and social inclusion and measures to tackle absenteeism from school.

"It is our intention to use Sutton United, Carshalton Athletic and other local sporting organisations in the project, if they wish to get involved, but Chelsea Football Club Foundation has access to facilities that very few other organisations in the world have."

"They also can tap into additional funding streams of significant scale.

"This is not about increasing visitor numbers to the Life Centre, but it is our intention to visit every primary school in the borough in the first year and as a side benefit, give a higher profile to council services including the Life Centre."

Comments(32)

theavengers says...
12:15pm Thu 14 Jun 12

Here's an idea, promote to close it! It's been a disaster from day one and we need our tax money spent elsewhere. Shambles. It's useless.

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ColP404 says...
12:54pm Thu 14 Jun 12

Why not turn it into a Mosque, with prayer rooms and maybe a little hut that could be used for a library placed outside.

I should of been a councillor.

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Sutton53 says...
2:16pm Thu 14 Jun 12

This Council plays with our money to shore up a failing project. It is nothing more than 'noddynomics' in an ideal World. It was obvious from the outset that the Sutton 'Life Centre' would be a financial drain on the Borough. Sutton Council have got desperate to save face.

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piggeh says...
3:30pm Thu 14 Jun 12

So the club will visit schools to promote the life centre and offer training to schoolkids? I'm sure football clubs already visit local schools and do that, it seems the council is paying £60k to be name dropped a couple of times by some overpaid prima donnas from Cobham whilst paying for the FITC scheme the club would normally have to try and flog to schools individually.

The club do not even say they'll be promoting SLC, but 'all borough services'. However as the money for bookings will flow through SLC before being transferred onto Chelsea I'm sure we'll see a press release in the future regarding how usage has increased.

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JoSchmo says...
3:37pm Thu 14 Jun 12

Sorry, but I fail to see what is wrong with this.

£59,000 a year is peanuts, and it looks like it will bring excellent benefits. Your own article disdainfully says it is going to teach kids about healthy eating, reading and absenteeism. That's a good thing isn't it?

So would you prefer that the building sit there empty and rot? Or should we spend more money dismantling it, therefore wasting what has already been done?

And where was your article on the fantastic Jubilee celebration they had last week?

Being in the nearby area, I was initially a Life Centre sceptic when it was built, but I have been a regular user of the library there since shortly after it opened and can honestly say that I think it gets very unfair treatment in the local press just because it helps sell newspapers. It does plenty of good things that never get reported. Shame on you.

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ResidentTony says...
3:54pm Thu 14 Jun 12

I generally support what the Council Does. Love the Charles Cryer theatre; love BedZED; love the new improved Honeywood Heritage Cenre. i also DID love the Life Centre. However, changing its charater from an essentially arts-centred one to one which is wrapped in sporting colours is just the sort of dumbing down it does not need. I hope the artists impression showing the Chelsea logo remains just that - an artist impression. Next there will be massive Sun Newspaper logo all over it, at this rate!!!

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Michael Pantlin says...
4:23pm Thu 14 Jun 12

Turn it into an A&E Department and Maternity Unit to redress the damage being done by the Dark Masters of the NHS.

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alsancak jack says...
5:07pm Thu 14 Jun 12

If the captain of said club is found guilty next month, what a great advert that will be for Sutton, pure and simple marketing by a club that has priced out its hardcore support and replaced it with a majority of gloryhunting tourists, same old money wasting by the council, smacks of desperation.

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fionk66 says...
10:20pm Thu 14 Jun 12

if the residents of sutton saw the documents on this ludricous idea they would realise this is one great big social services project. it talks about social inclusion, obesity and everything else that goes with department. some of the budget is coming from children and young peoples learning services. this is just a way of keeping an eye on the people. big brother comes to mind.

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Monstermunch17 says...
5:11am Fri 15 Jun 12

Monday:'Promoting Ethnic Diversity in the Workplce' - a talk by John Terry

Tuesday: ' Healthy Eating and the dangers of Obesity' with Frank Lampard

Wednesday: ' Gun Control' with Ashley Cole

Thursday: Entertainment - a unique interpretation of Swan Lake, with Didier Drogba

Friday: ' How to win Friends and Influence People' with John Terry

Saturday : 2 options: For Transport-lovers, 'Buses - How to Park them' held at Chelsea's Cobham facility, and for football-lovers, games anywhere else.

Sunday : day of worship in religion of your choice ( though the Anglican Church, Islam and the Pope all now owned by Chelsea FC, in a cross-brand marketing opportunity)

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gbzgc says...
5:39am Fri 15 Jun 12

Have the Council gone stark raving mad? Letting Chelsea have it for free would be bad enough but paying the European Champions whose players earn more than this in a week is obscene if not morally criminal. How do Sutton Utd or Carshalton Athletic feel now when having been refused any council funding see this completely bizarre deal!!! When are these idiots going to admit the Life Centre is a failed enterprise supported for pure political purposes. The council should be ashamed of themselves

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Binsanity says...
8:34am Fri 15 Jun 12

Well done Sutton Council. A sound investment which will bring in more youngsters and schools on the back of the Chelsea brand. They will be able to confront lifes social and domestic issues in a well informed arena. Not all initiatives go to plan and sometimes a different stratagy has to be adopted as is the case here. The tackling of truancy, obesity, ecology etc.. is so important for our kids. So, for a change can we applaud Sutton Council for using a world leading brand and marketing the Life Centre in a way which was previously lacking but now shows great promise.

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TheEverardedbutt says...
9:41am Fri 15 Jun 12

This can only be a good thing: Chelsea Football Club is the most successful London club in the modern era. Only London Club to win The Champions League! It is also a club that has a fairly large fanbase in Sutton. Engaging what would normally be armchair fans, in a worthwhile cause is good and using a well defined brand will raise the interest in the centre and if it helps to stop our kids becoming little 'Chunks' it has to be a good thing. Obesity will be the countries biggest killer within in a generation unless something is done now.

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kolinkosnose says...
10:11am Fri 15 Jun 12

My son has been training here for over a year with Crystal Palace FC foundation. A fantastic coach who has been teaching kids from age 4-7. A great idea from CPFC. Who now, no doubt they will be kicked out due to this. I am fuming.

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Binsanity says...
10:12am Fri 15 Jun 12

Some constructive comments at last. Libraries are closing because they do not appeal to the younger generation and cannot sustain themselves in their present form as modern technology has overtaken them. Sutton Council have tried something innovative and radical as is the Life Centre. Anybodys first attempt at something so new would possibly fall short of expectations but they are fighting to make it work and we should be behind them, for our kids sake if nothing else. Or should we just close it as we would a library ?

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jr1977 says...
10:41am Fri 15 Jun 12

I cannot believe that they are using taxpayers money, my money! to bring such overpaid bad role models with ill repute for Sutton children to idolise, that’s all they need! It is ridiculous.
What about local Sutton football clubs?
There are so many better ways that we could use this Life Centre, I would love to contribute some ideas. I think they have should have a community meeting, or a stall at the upcoming Sutton Festival events where they can take ideas and suggestions from the public.

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Fatboy67 says...
10:50am Fri 15 Jun 12

They are paying Chelsea £59k for FREE ADVERTISING. Who will measure the "increase engagement levels and profile for the Sutton Life Centre" ?

The council will stump up the money from "existing resources" within youth services, the culture and leisure team and the Safer Sutton Partnership - means these services will be sacrificed.

Local money taken from the poor and given to the rich. The Lib-Dems have learnt well from the Tories....

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TheEverardedbutt says...
11:50am Fri 15 Jun 12

jr1977 wrote:
I cannot believe that they are using taxpayers money, my money! to bring such overpaid bad role models with ill repute for Sutton children to idolise, that’s all they need! It is ridiculous.
What about local Sutton football clubs?
There are so many better ways that we could use this Life Centre, I would love to contribute some ideas. I think they have should have a community meeting, or a stall at the upcoming Sutton Festival events where they can take ideas and suggestions from the public.
Would our children rather see Sutton United or Chelsea play?

Which of those teams is the better known?

To use the Chelsea brand for a meagre £59k is a shrewd deal, Chelsea's connection will raise the profile of this centre and more importantly engage the interest of our children. A good thing surely.

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Giles C says...
2:32pm Fri 15 Jun 12

TheEverardedbutt wrote:
jr1977 wrote:
I cannot believe that they are using taxpayers money, my money! to bring such overpaid bad role models with ill repute for Sutton children to idolise, that’s all they need! It is ridiculous.
What about local Sutton football clubs?
There are so many better ways that we could use this Life Centre, I would love to contribute some ideas. I think they have should have a community meeting, or a stall at the upcoming Sutton Festival events where they can take ideas and suggestions from the public.
Would our children rather see Sutton United or Chelsea play?

Which of those teams is the better known?

To use the Chelsea brand for a meagre £59k is a shrewd deal, Chelsea's connection will raise the profile of this centre and more importantly engage the interest of our children. A good thing surely.
Why then did LBS not liaise with Sutton united and Carshalton Athletic before announcing this proposal.These are 2 clubs that are already active in the community without a penny from public purse. Also I note from the report that it isn't Just Sutton kids who will supposedly benefit from this deal but kids who are truants etc from all over South LOndon..

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JoSchmo says...
6:22pm Fri 15 Jun 12

Ok. Here's a tip DO NOT BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU READ IN THE SUTTON GUARDIAN.

I have been along and enquired at the Life Centre. For a start, it is only a proposal. Secondly, they are NOT 'giving' Chelsea £59,000 a year. It is not even a soley Life Centre based project.

Various youth work projects already in place or in development across the borough are all contributing money from their budgets (which already exist), which amounts to £59,000 in total, and this is going to be spent on the projects, along with further investment FROM the Chelsea Football Club Foundation, which is a registered charity. This will also offer youngsters access to fantastic facilities. Or perhaps you would prefer them out stabbing each other?

So, can we PLEASE engage our brains before slagging of the council or the Life Centre, and check our facts, and above all DON'T ASSUME THE GUARDIAN STORY IS TRUE just because they've printed it.

You bunch of sheep! You believe everything they tell you!

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Binsanity says...
7:25pm Fri 15 Jun 12

"JoSchmo says"
Hallaluah, finally someone able to see the whole issue. Well done that man.

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Giles C says...
9:01pm Fri 15 Jun 12

JoSchmo wrote:
Ok. Here's a tip DO NOT BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU READ IN THE SUTTON GUARDIAN.

I have been along and enquired at the Life Centre. For a start, it is only a proposal. Secondly, they are NOT 'giving' Chelsea £59,000 a year. It is not even a soley Life Centre based project.

Various youth work projects already in place or in development across the borough are all contributing money from their budgets (which already exist), which amounts to £59,000 in total, and this is going to be spent on the projects, along with further investment FROM the Chelsea Football Club Foundation, which is a registered charity. This will also offer youngsters access to fantastic facilities. Or perhaps you would prefer them out stabbing each other?

So, can we PLEASE engage our brains before slagging of the council or the Life Centre, and check our facts, and above all DON'T ASSUME THE GUARDIAN STORY IS TRUE just because they've printed it.

You bunch of sheep! You believe everything they tell you!
Good to see Joschmo and bin sanity 2 lib dem patsys on here trying to big up their scheme.
Trying to make out if kids weren't doing this scheme they would be out stabbing each other is grotesque. You use the Guardian when you want your stories out but when stuff is written you don't agree with then you slate the paper. How very Stalinist.
What is it they say...don't shoot the messenger.

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Binsanity says...
7:30am Sat 16 Jun 12

Giles C says.
This is the first time i have ever found the need to agree and concur with Sutton Council and the Lib Dems on any matter, because my judgement is not clouded or bigoted. Look, listen, learn and give an honest opinion, unlike the previous Mr Diddley. Calling me a Lib Dem patsy is like calling Hitler a social worker. Dip stick!

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Binsanity says...
7:30am Sat 16 Jun 12

Giles C says.
This is the first time i have ever found the need to agree and concur with Sutton Council and the Lib Dems on any matter, because my judgement is not clouded or bigoted. Look, listen, learn and give an honest opinion, unlike the previous Mr Diddley. Calling me a Lib Dem patsy is like calling Hitler a social worker. Dip stick!

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JoSchmo says...
8:06pm Sat 16 Jun 12

I'm going to have to leave this subject (and website) alone now because I can't believe I am wasting my life here.

I just somehow hate to see my fellow residents being whipped up by a local rag. Good reporting challenges and invigorates democracy. Poor reporting harms it by breeding contempt and misunderstanding.

How many services have the Guardian provided you with this year? Schools, housing, bin collection, street lighting? No. Thought so. Its very easy to criticise.

Unfortunately there isn't any real competition to the Guardian, which I suspect is because there is simply not enough news occuring in Sutton each week to fill a newspaper, hence the reason this one has to rely on attacking the local council with half truths and twisted facts in order to fill its pages. With a bit of intrigue they 'sell' more papers. (Obviously advertisers pay rather than readers, but its still reliant on circulation figures).

Over the years I have come to view the Sutton Guardian as the Sutton Daily Mail.

Will there be an apology when the actual announcement by the council turns out to be completely different to the 'story' printed here? No.

I will just say in response to Giles that I have never voted Lib Dem nationally or locally, Sutton Council drive me mad with some of their silly ideas - the bus shelter by the cinema, the High St 'revamp' - but I happen to think this one sounds like it might be good.

All I'm trying to say -ALL I am trying to say - is let's stop the hair-trigger emotional outrage that the tabloids have conditioned you to have, and can we please start applying some sort of reasonable consideration of the facts before we start dunking witches.

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Binsanity says...
8:18pm Sat 16 Jun 12

JoSchmo, Hold tight, people with your understanding are hard to come by. Your opinion matters and "generally" makes sense. I think you and i actually care about our locality so don't be brash young man. Keep keeping on!!!!

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Giles C says...
9:16pm Sat 16 Jun 12

Jo schmo goodbye..why don't you go and set up your own local rag...entitled Sutton focus perhaps...oh no I forgot you already send them out.
Your response shows that the local Orangemen are rattled...the normal population are waking up in Sutton..

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Binsanity says...
9:30pm Sat 16 Jun 12

Giles C,
What a cinical person you are. Debate is constructive. Why get personal. Lets all have our point of view and choose our perspective from the debate/comments and reflect accordingly. Surely theres no need to be so agressive. Regards, Graham.

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ResidentTony says...
8:21pm Mon 18 Jun 12

I've also had hassle from one or two regulars, who seem so cynical that they sprinkle words like "patsy" and "plant" around whenever they hear a view in support of a project which they view with suspicion - whether or not inspired by the Sutton Guardian. Ho hum. (But I do have to say that I don't think the Sutton Guardian, although sometimes far from ideal or accurate, is anything like as pernicious as the Daily Mail.)

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Michael Pantlin says...
10:12pm Mon 18 Jun 12

"Free pest control services look set to be cut by Sutton Council.
By cutting the service, which provides free treatments for residents from rats and bedbugs, Sutton council will save £36,000 a year and residents will have to pay themselves." That's still £23,000 more to take out of residents services even after axing the rat catcher.

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Barry 99 says...
12:48pm Tue 19 Jun 12

Firstly The Library at The Life Centre is a replacement for Ridge Road - thank you.

The Life Centre is a totalling different facility/project.

With regard to Football Clubs - The LBS has TWO perfectly good, well run in accordance with all FA regulations, Football Clubs SUTTON UNITED and CARSHLATON ATHLETIC- BOTH I am sure contribute greatly to the local community with many volunteers giving their time and experteese to the community.

THEY should be considered with regard to helping kids/youngsters in the community.

Good luck to Sutton United and The Robins

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TheEverardedbutt says...
10:18am Thu 21 Jun 12

Barry 99 wrote:
Firstly The Library at The Life Centre is a replacement for Ridge Road - thank you.

The Life Centre is a totalling different facility/project.

With regard to Football Clubs - The LBS has TWO perfectly good, well run in accordance with all FA regulations, Football Clubs SUTTON UNITED and CARSHLATON ATHLETIC- BOTH I am sure contribute greatly to the local community with many volunteers giving their time and experteese to the community.

THEY should be considered with regard to helping kids/youngsters in the community.

Good luck to Sutton United and The Robins
but neither club has the same pull as Chelsea FC.

Ask yourself how many Chelsea shirts you have seen being sported round the streets of Sutton?

Now how many Sutton United or Carshalton Athletic shirts you have seen in the same period?

It is clear that having the Chelsea connection is going to appeal to a greater section of your community, rather then the 1,000 people that the games between Sutton Athletic and Carshalton United attract!
A game that is touted as a 'fiercely contested Derby game' yet only draws a 1,000 people for 2 teams that between then have room for over 12,000.

Sutton council has had a result here and when it is up and running it will be clear that the right choice has been made!

KTBFFH!
CTID!
BITC!

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