A football club’s bid to reduce its business rates to ease its financial pressures has been backed by an MP.

Chatteris Town, which is riding high in the Kershaw Senior A league, pays out more than £900 a month including £217 on business rates, £454 on fuel and £200 on insurance.

Income is limited to players’ subs, bar takings, sponsorship and fundraising - as a result, the club is finding it difficult to make ends meet.

Mr Barclay, MP for North East Cambs, met with club representatives Lester Kent and Steve Snell to discuss the issue of business rates and other expenses.

He discussed the club’s options including becoming a Community Amateur Sports Club, which would enable them to get their business rates reduced by 80 per cent.

“The 80 per cent reduction is automatic and Fenland District Council has the discretion to waive the remaining 20 per cent, the club would have to formally apply for this. Not having to pay business rates will save the club around £2,500 a year,” said Mr Barclay.

“We also discussed various funding options to help the club and also the possibility of using solar panels or a wind turbine to help reduce energy bills. I will be contacting Fenland District Council to find out if there is any money left-over from the Tesco cash I helped secure for the town.

“There are pockets of funding out there and I am currently drawing up a list to help clubs like Chatteris Town get a share of this money.”