Lease, costs and stuff | Walton and Hersham FC Forum

1066swan
God

Posts: 305

Lease, costs and stuff Mar 26, 2015 7:39:27 GMT

Post by 1066swan on Mar 26, 2015 7:39:27 GMT

Just sharing a few things: Freedom of Information is a lovely tool sometimes.

LEASE

I've just got hold of the Lease for the ground dated 21 October 2013 between Elmbridge Borough Council and Walton & Hersham FC (1982) Ltd. I've not gone through every paragraph or bit of legal boilerplate but I note that:

it's a 15 year Lease backdated to 24 June 2013 (but see later!)

rent is £5,000 per annum with reviews in 2018 and 2023
'pitch charge' is £3,500 p.a., plus inflation
the Club pays a share (33%) of insurance costs
the Club pays a share (33%) of maintaining car park, stand, terraces, turnstiles, footpaths, concourse

I may be mis-reading it but it seems to me that the only bits of the ground that are exclusively Swans' (and not for sharing) are the Pavilion and the 'treatment room' in the stand.  Think the floodlights are exclusively ours too.

The season is defined as from first Saturday in August to second Saturday in May, with limitations on summer Sunday use and on use when athletics have given due notice.

The rest of it looks dull and I gave up on reading it.

BUT there is a clause allowing the Council to terminate the Lease if they "desire to demolish or reconstruct the Property or a substantial part of it"; and on 21 July 2014 the Council duly served such notice, to take effect 31 July 2015.
I have to assume that some arrangement to re-schedule has happened since, but that needs a follow up question to the Council.


CORRESPONDENCE

I also asked for relevant correspondence and notes of meetings but apart from a couple of nondescript items the Council say: "Most of the engagement between the Council and the occupiers of the ground have been carried out via the telephone or in face to face meetings which were not minuted".   That's not very satisfactory on their part!

COSTS OF STOMPOND LANE

The Council also supplied their internal figures for the costs to them of Stompond Lane for 2011/12, 12/13, 13/14.  Looking at 13/14 (and remember that that is not a full overlap with the new Lease):

Expenditure:
£8,293 Payroll and related
£6,473 Repair and maintenance
£34,296 for a 'grounds maintenance' contract which appears to have been a different contract in 2012/13 (£15,630) and in 2011/12 (£30,466).  More info needed
£7,392 business rates
£5,357 water
£139 electricity
£1,828 Insurance, net
£16,979 'recharge from building maintenance' (only £396 in 2012/13 and £5,592 in 2011/12). More info needed.
£3,460 condition survey
£960 water hygiene inspection
£1,013 arboricultural work
£1,500 grant to Athletics Club (£33,275 grant in 12/13!)
£105 'contract hire vehicles'
£6,713 admin recharges
TOTAL £94,508 (12/13 £86,649; 11/12 £79,299)

Income:
£11,505 'rents' probably mainly the football club but there are other events I suppose so not clear
£720 Athletic Club
TOTAL £12,224 (12/13 £13,065; 11/12 £13,764)

NET COST TO COUNCIL £82,284 (12/13 £73,584; 11/12 £65,535)

******

Last Edit: Mar 26, 2015 7:57:21 GMT by 1066swan

cambridgeswan
Full Member

Posts: 97

Lease, costs and stuff Mar 26, 2015 22:41:16 GMT

Post by cambridgeswan on Mar 26, 2015 22:41:16 GMT

Thank you very much for your commitment to digging out this information, 1066swan. It leaves me wondering whether the Council's serving of notice on the Lease in July had been made public until now (had the local Press picked up on it?), and whether anyone was intending to let it be known.

1066swan
God

Posts: 305

Lease, costs and stuff Mar 27, 2015 6:04:51 GMT

Post by 1066swan on Mar 27, 2015 6:04:51 GMT

Mar 26, 2015 22:41:16 GMT cambridgeswan said:

Thank you very much for your commitment to digging out this information, 1066swan. It leaves me wondering whether the Council's serving of notice on the Lease in July had been made public until now (had the local Press picked up on it?), and whether anyone was intending to let it be known.

I suppose that depends on whether that date was 'real' or whether the Council was just getting it on record as a precaution. They certainly made sure the Club knew about it: the letter giving notice, from Sherrards Solicitors (St Albans) acting for the Council, is marked as recorded delivery, and also by hand, to the Lane, copy to Mr Smith's home address. It comments that: "You are fully aware of our client's redevelopment proposals for Stompond Lane..... our client confirms that at the break date it desires to demolish or reconstruct the Premises or a substantial part of them".

fred
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Posts: 498

Lease, costs and stuff Mar 27, 2015 13:57:32 GMT

Post by fred on Mar 27, 2015 13:57:32 GMT

Turning to the last sentence of your above posting, 1066, I have to comment that the Council have done a remarkable job to date in demolishing the aura of our Stompond Lane ground, allowing fencing and the old 6 a side asphalt area to fall into decay, let alone boarding up our stand on the other side of the ground instead of simply repairing the roof and supposed concrete footing cracks!! The roof should have been repaired many years ago, but the negligent council seemed intent on just letting it rot and leak!! They have also let our pitch area deteriorate to a farcical state all in the name of avoiding costs!!! All in all, Stompond Lane ground is now a very sorry place from what it once was, it is now sad and neglected thanks to our "wonderful" councillors!!!!!!
Not sure when the "break date" as the solicitors call it, actually kicks in but they surely can't kick us out until the new facilities are in situ at the leisure centre! Only at that point can the council fulfil its long secretly held desires to demolish/reconstruct the premises. Such a shame that simple updating/reconstruction/maintenance has been ignored by them for many many years!!!!!