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A proposed 75% hike in sports pitch fees will be paused, Caerphilly County Borough Council’s leader has confirmed – as a “late consultation” begins.

Sports clubs across the borough were in uproar over the “unsustainable” jump in pitch fees when receiving an email from the council earlier this week.

It would have seen the cost of renting a pitch and pavilion for a senior football or rugby match jump from £64.87 to a whopping £113.52.

Speaking to Caerphilly Observer following two days of pushback, council leader Sean Morgan said: “We proposed the 75% increase as part of our draft budget and received little feedback from the public, or discussion in the chamber itself.

“We are a listening council, and the clubs involved have made their opinions clear. The plan will now be to go to the clubs, speak to them, and see if we can find a middle ground.

“We don’t get thanked for having been one of the cheapest around when it comes to pitch fees, and we’re always trying to set our prices in the middle of neighbouring authorities’.”

Clubs across Caerphilly have also spoken to Caerphilly Observer before and after this announcement, with most suggesting the council should have got in touch before any decision was made.

An online petition quickly gained more than 5,000 signatures in protest to the rise, with some clubs even saying they may not have been able to finish the season as the proposed hike would have started on April 1.

Cllr Morgan continued: “We don’t want to stop kids playing sports, and we’re not going to haggle over the money saved. This’ll be a case of speaking to clubs, then trimming and adjusting where we can.”

Asked about community asset transfers (CAT), something lots of clubs are interested in as it would allow them to take responsibility for their own pitches, Cllr Morgan said: “Wholesale CATs are not something we can offer at the moment”.

Plaid Cymru councillor Colin Mann, who represents Llanbradach, said he was “very pleased” the council backtracked on the “very bad idea”.

He continued: “It is nonsense for the council to be promoting a health agenda and trying to get young people involved in healthy outdoor activities when it is making life even more difficult for the volunteers who work extremely hard to keep the clubs financially viable.

“With so many price rises, including the huge challenge of paying for playing kit, the rise in pitch fees was the last thing needed. I am pleased that the cabinet has seen sense on this one.”