Cubs 'evicted for owing a £1'

Dean Kirby

May 28, 2007

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Girl Cubs in Partington who have been locked out

A PACK of cub scouts say they have been thrown out of their headquarters of 28 years after they failed to pay town officials just £1.

Members of the 1st Partington Scouts built their brick and timber hut on a patch of land rented from the Partington Town Council after a fund-raising bid in 1978.

But they say officials have now broken in and commandeered the building after they failed to pay their annual "peppercorn" rent on time.

Leaders say the gates of the premises, off Moss View Road, have been locked and the pack now has to meet in Urmston.

They will be trespassing if they try to get back into the building.

David Vost, district commissioner for the scouts and acting group leader, said: "We were late with rent unfortunately, but we didn't expect this response from the council. It's unbelievable."

The Partington scout group have been using the council-owned site, on Moss View Road, since 1972.

They built their headquarters there in 1978 and have been using it since then. The lease runs out in 2032.

But they say problems flared when the council telephoned to say it wanted to use three toilets in the hut during a girls' football tournament, which was taking place on a pitch at the site.

Insurance cover

The scout group did not agree because it claims it was given too little notice and wanted assurances about insurance cover.

Derek Freeman, 1st Partington Scouts' secretary, said: "We would have considered it if we had received a request in writing instead of a phone call.

"We didn't know if it would be covered under our insurance and arrangements would have had to be made to man the building. Now they've terminated our lease."

Partington Town Council has denied it has been heavy handed. It says it "peacefully re-entered" the building because the scouts had denied other groups from using it.

Coun Ian Platt, the town council's chairman, said the scouts have been late paying their rent before and there had been problems with the lease.

He added: "It might seem like a sledge hammer is being used to crack a nut.

"But if more groups get to use that site, it will be for the good of Partington."

He said the council planned to put up a new building in the next five years that would be used by the whole community.

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The_umpire, Salford, Lancashire (29/05/2007 at 08:35)

As normal a council have overstepped the mark to show that they are in charge, have they been responsible for any of the repairs on the building.

As most of us know, if you try and phone a council, you have at least a 30 minute wait to get through then your past from department to department to get the answers but they make a telephone call and expect things to jump.

I understand how the scouts feel, is it covered by their insurances for the building, the council do not pay the insurances, the scouts do.

Is it covered? did the council do anything to help and how much notice did they actually give the scouts, this is the main question?

I bet we don't get to find out, especially now I have to go to the toilet!!!!

PW, Manchester (29/05/2007 at 09:03)

It's good to see the Council exercising its full authority, and punishing people who deserve it. A pound is a pound, and it needs paying. - I'm just talking like they do. it's disgraceful and typical. I'm sure there are other under-lying reasons for this action, but how they can evict a Cub Scout pack before matters are sorted out is well beyond me. Perhaps they should convert to a "Labour Youth" organisation, to get more sympathy?

Colin W, Stockholm (29/05/2007 at 09:15)

is the Partington counciler Labour by any chance??

Ms D, Manchester (29/05/2007 at 10:13)

Jobsworths !

Leo B (29/05/2007 at 10:18)

The last line says it all: the Council plans to put up a new building within the next five years, despite the lease running to 2032. The Council has taken advantage of the situation, clearly helped by the fact that the rent was late (again?)- but, that said, was the Cub Scout leader honestly concerned that the Council wouldn;t have insurance cover in place to include the opening of the toilets - or was there an element of the dog in the manger?

Ian (29/05/2007 at 12:50)

It doesn't surprise me at all. Our Scout band was not allowed to lead the Lord Mayor's parade one year as the Scouts we're considered para-military by Manchester City Council.

PW, Manchester (29/05/2007 at 14:28)

Ian

I used to help with a Scout Group, and that was exactly the attitude we got from Manchester Council when we applied for some financial assistance - that the Scout movement is a para-military organisation. Absolute garbage of course, but this is what you get from hypocritical Labourites who go round bombing and invading other countries.

cub scout parent (29/05/2007 at 18:16)

My daughter is one of the cub scouts, l would like to update you on some of the details.

The peaceful reentry was not quite true, on the Friday the key holder for scouts was called out to the burglar alarm to be confronted by council workers who had broken into the building, by breaking the metal security grill and forcing the main door. This was the first the scouts new about the eviction.

Yes it was an oversight about the peppercorn rental not being paid but really the main reason was the fact that the council were unhappy about the last mintue request to use the building on the Saturday for a large number of people attenting a football tournament and the scout saying no as they were not sure about the insurance and if they could find volunteers to man the building.

As was very annoyed on the saturday so l contacted Counciller Platt to ask where the cubs could continue there meetings, l was told they could still use the building and they would open up each week. So on the Wednesday we took our children as normal to be confronted by locked gates and two council workers and Councillor Platt and his colleague to be told the children can go in but not the leaders. (l really do not think you need bouncers for 8-10 year olds and Mums)

It will be a real shame to see Scouts in partington come to an end in the 100th year of Scouting.

Cub scout parent

Salford Lass, Salford (29/05/2007 at 23:38)

I have to say, after recently helping the Partington Scout Group out, just recently, that I am appalled at the way the Council have handled things.

In a normal world we would get a letter stating that the payment was due, we would then get a reminder, then a final notice.

This hasn¿t happened in this situation, it appears that the Council went in all guns blazing, just because they were refused entry to the building, and on grounds, that the Scouting Association has to take into consideration.

The Partington Scouts have helped other local Groups out in the past, but they had plenty of warning and it was all confirmed via letter, not in one telephone conversation.

All I can say is Good Luck Partington Scout Group.

D H
Salford

Lesley White (30/05/2007 at 14:37)

I remember attending functions, in the early 1980's, at the Scout HQ on Moss View Road to help raise the cash to fund the kitchen extension. Why would this have been necessary if the property was erected by the Town Council? Also when was the last time the Town Council paid any of the utility bills or funded repairs on the building? My guess is they never have!

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