Football Pitch Hire

2024 to 2025 Season Terms and Conditions

Booking a pitch for a season

League teams and clubs are invited to register for a home pitch for the season from 1 August onwards.

Teams should download and complete a home pitch booking request form and then email it to us using the details at the bottom of this page.

We'll send the hirer confirmation of home pitch allocation and a copy of terms and conditions.

Home pitch allocations will be based on teams’ historic allocations, to keep teams home pitches consistent with previous seasons. New teams will be allocated pitches on a first-come first-served basis.

It is the hirer’s responsibility to ensure relevant club/team members such as the treasurer and team manager are fully aware of the terms and conditions.

Our grounds' maintenance team will work to this schedule and prepare the pitch for the team’s home games. Teams found playing matches that are not on the fixture list and have not been booked will be in breach of our terms and conditions.

It's the team’s responsibility to update us on cup progress so that cup fixtures can be added to their schedule as required. Cup matches will be charged in the usual way.

Charges and payments

November 2024 to March 2025 charges

Hiring a pitch does not include changing rooms and showers. These must be hired and paid for separately.

To qualify for junior rate all team members must be under the age of 18 years.

Teams in the U16, U17 and U18 age groups who play their league fixtures on an adult pitch will be charged at the junior game on an 11 v 11 pitch rate.

Hirers will be invoiced monthly in arrears for the matches played in the previous month. Teams will have 14 days to pay that invoice. Failure to do so will result in suspension of the home pitch and we'll inform the respective league accordingly.

Invoices will be sent to the person named on the home pitch booking form. Payment can be made online by card, by BACS or by phone.

Teams found playing matches that have not been booked and are not on the scheduled fixture list will be charged for that fixture including an additional pitch hire fee.

Fixtures

Please email pitchbookings@maidstone.gov.uk for all home pitch allocations for the 2024 to 2025 season.

Where pitches are shared by clubs from different leagues, the leagues concerned should liaise with each other to ensure there are no double bookings.

Where double bookings are identified in the season’s fixtures, priority will be given to the team who was allocated it first.

Hirers/leagues will ensure 11 v 11 kick-off times are between 10.30am and 2pm.

Training facilities

All parks in Maidstone can be used for football training but penalty and goal mouths must be avoided. The assembling of goal nets for football training constitutes pitch usage and you will be charged for pitch use.

Section 11 of the Football Hirer Code of Conduct will apply to training sessions.

Ground conditions

We'll maintain pitches throughout the season, and cut and prepare them for fixtures accordingly. The length of the grass is monitored throughout the season and the frequency of cuts in the winter months is assessed based on the levels of growth and rainfall.

We'll cancel any fixtures likely to cause damage to the pitches.

A decision on weekend fixtures will be made between 8am and 9am on the day of the match. Teams can call us using the details below for updates on which matches have been cancelled and which are going ahead. Teams with afternoon fixtures should check the phone line during the morning for an update about their afternoon fixture.

Where a fixture has been cancelled because of an issue with one particular pitch, we'll work to find a suitable alternative pitch so that the fixture can go ahead. We'll communicate this with the home team so both teams and the league can be informed. If no alternative pitch is available we'll inform the home team and postpone the fixture.

It's the hirer’s responsibility to ensure an appropriately qualified referee is booked for each game and it'll be the referee’s responsibility to check the pitch prior to the game taking place.

If a referee deems a fixture cannot go ahead, the home team should email us using the details below so the bookings schedule for the team can be updated.

It's possible for a morning fixture to be postponed by us or a referee and for an afternoon fixture on the same pitch to go ahead.

Cup matches

Priority is given to cup fixtures over league matches.

Cancellations

If the hirer needs to cancel their home league or home cup game they must email us before the match is due to take place, stating a valid reason for cancellation. Failure to do so will result in the hirer being charged for the full amount.

If you have any questions about cancellations, please contact us using the information at the bottom of this page.

Code of conduct

The home team is responsible for informing the away team of the behaviour expected.

Our parks and open spaces are vital to the health, wellbeing and enjoyment of all residents. It's fundamental that football use does not have a negative impact on the enjoyment of the park for other people.

We expect:

• players, club representatives, coaches, parents and spectators to follow the FA Respect Guidelines at all times
• language to be suitable for an outdoor public space during daytime and not to direct foul or abusive language towards fellow players, staff, local residents and other park users
• players to treat each other with respect and not direct violence towards each other, local residents and other park users
• property to be treated with respect and no damage to be caused to lights, showers, benches, doors and any other objects in the park. Repair costs will be sought from individuals known to have caused damage
• teams to adhere to decisions relating to a pitch being unfit for matches. Teams found to have played on an unfit pitch will be charged a reinstatement fee equal to a two match hire fee
• teams to place all litter in the bins provided or take it away from the park with them. Please leave the park tidy for other users
• players to leave changing rooms and showers tidy and not to wash boots and kit in the showers or sink. The mud causes blockages which are time-consuming and costly to fix
• teams to pay their pitch hire fees in accordance with the payment terms
• teams not to play on pitches that have not been booked. Doing so will incur a penalty equal to two match hire fee

Yellow card and red card system

We'll issue a yellow card for each offence. Three yellow cards in the season will result in a red card and the withdrawal of booking privileges for all of our pitches.

In addition, all forms of warnings issued to the hirer will be shared with the relevant league, who may choose to issue their own fines.

Miscellaneous

It is the hirer’s responsibility to ensure the team/club/league has the appropriate and robust safeguarding procedures in place. This includes carrying out relevant checks of any coaches/volunteers where required.

The home team/club is responsible for clearing away all litter from their matches.

Maidstone-based leagues will take priority in the allocation of pitches over leagues which are from outside the borough. If you decide to change leagues this may affect the allocation of your pitch.

Clubs should report any issues around pitch markings or grounds maintenance by emailing us using the contact details below.

We reserve the right to withdraw or change pitch allocation or pitch location at any time during the season for maintenance reasons. On all occasions we'll endeavour to avoid doing this and will use the fixture schedule to plan the most suitable time for any required works.

Contact us

For updates on cancelled matches, please call 07794 051773.

If you need to contact us for anything else, please email pitchbookings@maidstone.gov.uk