Sheffield Council to return the £27,000 they billed Wednesday-linked community trust following backlash

Sheffield Council says it will pay back the £27,000 it billed a community trust linked with Sheffield Wednesday after an online backlash.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Wednesdayite, a community trust linked to Sheffield Wednesday, were hit with the retrospective bill, backdated for three years.

Volunteers raised the money by manning the car park, opposite Hillsborough stadium, on match days and gave all funds to the Sheffield Wednesday Community Programme.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

After presenting a cheque last week for £5,000 to the scheme for the fourth year running, Wednesdayite announced they had been hit with the bill on Twitter.

Volunteers raised the money by manning the car park, opposite Hillsborough stadium, on match days and gave all funds to the Sheffield Wednesday Community Programme.Volunteers raised the money by manning the car park, opposite Hillsborough stadium, on match days and gave all funds to the Sheffield Wednesday Community Programme.
Volunteers raised the money by manning the car park, opposite Hillsborough stadium, on match days and gave all funds to the Sheffield Wednesday Community Programme.

The group said if the bill stood, they would have had to restrict future donations to the programme and ladies development squad and may need to consider ceasing support of Tricky Wingers - who deliver their free primary school coaching.

Dozens of people expressed outrage on social media when the group shared what had happened.

The Sheffield Star approached the council for comment last week, giving them until Friday to comment on the bill.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

After initially failing to comment or clarify their position, the council now say they will give back over £27,000 already paid by the group and look at giving them discretionary rate relief in the future.

Councillor Mazher Iqbal, cabinet member for business and investment, said: "I requested a review of the decision taken because it's a not for profit organisation. The group are working to get charitable status and we will give them a rate relief of 80 or 100 percent.

"I don't think they were aware of how it worked, they already made the payment so they will get that back as a refund.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"They do amazing work and we will give them back the money so they can continue to put it towards good causes."

After the bill was announced, SWFC (Sheffield Wednesday Football Club) Supporters Club tweeted: “Whatever issues Sheffield Council has with our club it doesn’t give them the right to attack a fan’s group that exists to support good causes. That is truly disgraceful.”

And Shaffaq Mohammed, MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber and Owls fan, said he was ‘dismayed’ by the consequences and said: “I can’t believe what the council thinks it’s doing here. It’s a big club with strong links to the community, the programme coaches some of the most deprived children in the city.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I’m amazed it’s got this far. I’ve got a friend in Watford and their club do the same but they said the council wouldn’t dream of doing this, it would never have passed them.

“Just because computer says ‘do this’ doesn’t mean you should.

“If it was just a business it would be understandable but this is mad. They improve things all across the city and help good causes. With all the changes going on, we need these charities.”

The group said they had applied for this but were initially denied by the council, which then sparked a review.