FOOTBALLERS at the Dell Stadium won’t be getting any free kicks after a price hike of up to 23 per cent for pitch hire.

The sports ground on Bryce Road, Pensnett, is run by Dudley Council which needs to raise more cash to stave off a budget black hole.

Councillor Phil Atkins, Dudley's cabinet member for corporate strategy, has approved a draft decision to put up fees for teams playing at the stadium from September.

For full 11-a-side matches the charge for hiring the pitch will go up from £160 to £168 for casual bookings while partner clubs will take a bigger hit with the cost of a game going up by 23 percent from £124 to £152.

Charges for five-a-side pitch hire will go up to £42 for casual bookings and £38 for partners and seven-a-side teams will be forking out £84 for casual bookings and £76 for partner clubs.

Block booking rates are discounted but will still increase by 20 percent when the new charges are introduced.

After the increase the council-run group that operates Dudley’s leisure facilities expects to net an extra £24,500 per year.

Notes from the authority about the decision to increase charges say: “DB Leisure Centres are required to balance the need to generate income and recover costs with the need to provide affordable, accessible facilities for all members of the borough.

“Due to both the previous investment made and the operating subsidy required to financially support the centres, a more commercial approach to managing the service is required.”

Despite the increase, the council does not expect any penalties from clubs leaving the Dell.

The decision notes say: “With any commercial decision to increase prices, there is risk that we lose business to the competition. 

“However, we do not believe we will lose business as we remain very competitive in the market. 

“If we do lose any clubs, there is a lengthy waiting list from teams wanting to use The Dell.”