A £10,000 per year rent discount granted by the council will help ensure the future of Bromsgrove Sporting, the grateful club believes.

Sporting has been in discussion for more than a year with Bromsgrove District Council over a rent review and a request for an extension on the club's lease of the Victoria Ground.

At the council's recent Cabinet meeting on June 3, it pledged to discount the rent from £12,000 per year to £2,000 - and also to increase the ground's lease from 25 to 50 years.

Mike Gardiner, Bromsgrove Sporting's director of capital programmes said: “With the current restrictions we are unable to play football and thus have no income.

"A date for resumption may be many months away but our outgoings continue and we are working hard to ensure survival of the club.

"This money will allow us to start considering the areas where we need to provide better facilities at the club, especially for spectators, disabled persons, playing staff, ground environment and ground safety.

"Many of these were on the ‘agenda’ until Covid-19 brought all plans to a sudden halt and diverted our resources to survival rather than development.

"I am really pleased that the Council have recognised the benefit the club brings to the town both directly through our first team, youth and ladies set up and indirectly through our charity work.

"Supporting us in this manner helps to ensure our survival and hopefully future development.”

The Rouslers say the extension to the lease will give the Southern League Premier Central club 'security of tenure when seeking major ground improvement grants'.

The decision on the lease - and to discount the rent by up to £10,000 per annum for five years, with the surplus money being used for capital programmes - still needs to be ratified by full council on June 17.

The recommendations came from a task group chaired by the leader of Charford Residents’ Association, Michael Thompson.

Cllr Sue Douglas (Bromsgrove Alliance), Cllr Charles Hotham (Bromsgrove Alliance) and Cllr Rob Hunter (Liberal Democrats) also contributed towards the task group.

Cllr Thompson said: “This is a really important decision for our town. In recent years, the football club is something that has given local residents something to really smile about.

"I am delighted that the cabinet accepted the recommendation.

"The council owns the ground so as well as improving their asset, they are lifting a ceiling that might otherwise restrict the club from reaching higher leagues.

"We should also remember that people who visit the ground also visit the town centre.

"Whenever the dark cloud of CV-19 lifts, local businesses – particularly those involved with hospitality – will look to benefit from the success of the club also. It is an all-round winner.”