Football ground's safety licence could be revoked

A football stadium's safety certificate could be revoked after the club decided to reduce the number of covered seats at the ground.

North Yorkshire Council is set to cancel Whitby Town Football Club's general safety certificate at a meeting on Tuesday.

The club's Towbar Express Stadium at the Turnbull Ground on Upgang Lane is currently an officially regulated stand but the club said it wanted to deregulate it by reducing the number of seats to below 500.

The Sports Ground Safety Authority said the club's duties would "not be lessened under other legislation and guidance" including the Safety at Sports Ground Act 1975.

According to a report prepared for the authority's licensing sub-committee, the current general safety certificate has been in place since March 2006.

In October, an officer from North Yorkshire Council visited the main stand, which had 495 seats and a further six spaces for disabled spectators and six seats for their companions.

Last month, an officer from the council confirmed the capacity was now 498, and noted that as such it no longer met the definition of a regulated stand.

As part of the deregulation process, the Sports Ground Safety Authority (SGSA) was made aware and consulted about the reduced number of seats and the cancellation of the safety certificate.

While the SGSA said it had no objections, the body added it had "an expectation that the club would discuss their plans with the local authority and develop a shared understanding in relation to their continuing support, rights of entry, and inspections".

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the committee has been recommended to approve the proposal at a meeting at Scarborough Town Hall on Tuesday.

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