Dorking Football Club Limited were surprised and disappointed to see this morning, 13 November 2007, via the Dorking Advertiser, a copy of a press release from MVDC (“MVDC”) dated 12 November 2007 (issued after close of business) indicating that MVDC will be taking steps to remove the Dorking Football Club from its Meadowbank ground. 

The Club has been in occupation of the Meadowbank site since the 1950s and is operated entirely by volunteers for the benefit of the local community.  It is clear MVDC now wish to try to kill off a Club that has been in existence since the 1880s, the second oldest in Surrey.  We question the motives of MVDC and feel it is now time for the local population to object in the strongest terms to the actions being taken in its name by MVDC and the mismanagement of this issue by MVDC. 

MVDC have sprung the release on us with no notice and we have very little time to reply.  A fuller response will be issued in the coming days. 

However, based on the short amount of time available we would comment as follows:-   

• ·    The press release issued by MVDC not only contains a series of factual errors, but the Club is amazed that a public body can issue a press release without prior notice to its long-term, loyal tenant, MVDC seemingly seeking to obtain favourable press coverage in circumstances where no notice of this has been given to the Club.  At the time of writing, we have still seen no formal papers from MVDC in relation to this matter.  We question whether this is an appropriate way for a public body to act against a small, voluntarily run organisation. 

• ·    Dorking Football Club Limited is a protected tenant under the Landlord & Tenant Legislation and cannot be removed from the site without due process being done.  It is entitled to a new long-term lease, part of which would contain staged repair provisions and we have repeatedly asked MVDC to constructively discuss this, but MVDC have shown no real intention or desire to discuss this with us.  We can only assume that there is some pre-determined course of action which MVDC are now following.   

• ·    We strongly question how aware individual councillors are of the complete and accurate facts of this matter, something that we will be seeking to address over the coming weeks.  The Club owes no material monies to MVDC for rent or otherwise and is solvent.  The Club will also be seeking meetings with local councillors, our local MP and are strongly considering making a complaint to the local authority ombudsman as the Club sincerely believes that a grave injustice is being done.   

• ·    The Club was subjected by MVDC to a statutory health and safety inspection in the summer, to which the Club rigorously responded.  MVDC accepted in the summer that the Club would first address the health and safety issue, before returning to the repair issue.   The Club is confident that it has now satisfied MVDC in relation to health and safety matters and believes it must have one of the safest sports grounds at this level in Surrey.  It has correspondence from MVDC in September 2007 to say that MVDC is “pleased” with the substantial works undertaken by the Club, which are estimated to have a value of around £10,000.  The final health and safety inspection is due for Wednesday 14 November, so the Club is amazed at the timing of MVDC in issuing a press release, which the Club again stresses was issued without prior notice to the Club and which would seem to go back on the pre-agreed course of action.

• ·    Councillor Derrick Burt shows a lack of understanding of football and the law in stating that “the Football Club (“The Chicks”) itself will not disappear”.  Dorking Football Club is owned and managed by Dorking Football Club Limited.  The Club and the name “The Chicks” is an asset of the football club company.  It is not transferable at the whim of MVDC. 

• ·    Janette Purkiss is a new councillor and shows her lack of knowledge of the facts when she states that MVDC have made numerous approaches to the Club.  This is simply incorrect - MVDC have not assisted the Club in any material way in its community work nor (in the opinion of the Club) held constructive discussions with the Club about the repair issue. 

• ·    We will be setting out our side of the story in more detail in the coming days, but we would make the following statements:- 

1.        Dorking Football Club Limited is operated by volunteers who are giving up their time and money in order to operate the Club for the benefit of the community.  In addition to its first team, it is operating a successful under 18 boys football side at a high level and operates girls’ football teams.  It has a strong affiliation with Brockham Badgers Football Club, which has over 350 children playing for it.  Why are MVDC taking such punitive action against a community Club? 

2.        In the early 2000s, MVDC approved an application by Dorking Football Club Limited for a 25 year lease.  A draft lease was issued by MVDC and commented on by the Club’s lawyers.  It was close to finalisation.  At the request of MVDC at the last minute, these negotiations were put on hold as part of the Thomfeld negotiations for the surrounding site.  The Club co-operated fully with MVDC during this period at the request of MVDC.  We were only informed by MVDC that these negotiations were at an end in 2006.  During the period to 2006, there was a real possibility that the Club would have been wholly or partially re-developed as part of the Thomfeld plans.  No sensible organisation would have at that time invested money into a repair programme and this was acknowledged by MVDC.  In 2002, when the site was in a worse state of repair than currently is the case, MVDC were prepared to grant a long lease to the Club.  Why now do MVDC seek to remove the Club? 

3.        Recently appointed Council officers are giving the Club no credit nor allowance for its community status nor for the period during which the Thomfeld negotiations took place, when the Club actively supported MVDC’s position.  It is also ignoring the substantial work carried out by the Club in recent weeks.  This is palpably unfair.   

4.        In Spring 2007, MVDC tried various bullying tactics to remove the Club from the site.  It then changed tactics by trying to rely on health and safety legislation in the seeming hope that the Club would not meet the requirements.  The Club has worked extensively to satisfy MVDC on the health and safety area, expending large sums of money and we believe that we have satisfied all statutory requirements.  To now find in the context of the immediate history above, MVDC are issuing press releases, and possible court action (again we have seen no papers from MVDC here) without earlier notice to us, telling the public that they are to remove us from the site is extremely galling and unjust.   

5.        The Club strongly disputes that the site is in a serious state of dis-repair.  It meets current FA ground grading repairment and there are far worse sites in the level of football at which Dorking Football Club is currently playing. 

Dorking Football Club Limited will not be bullied into departing the site it has occupied for many decades.  Dorking Football Club is a community asset run for the benefit of the community by hard working volunteers and we are extremely disappointed that our locally elected representatives are taking such draconian, unjustified steps against a voluntarily run organisation.  The Club is strongly advised that it is a protected tenant under the Landlord & Tenant Act and cannot simply be removed from the site.  It has been actively seeking a new long lease from MVDC for a number of years in order that it can tap into extensive grant funding that is available, but MVDC seem to be disinterested in this fact.   

We ask MVDC and its councillors to reconsider this ill-thought out action to avoid needless expenditure on lawyers and professional fees on both sides, something the Club would prefer to avoid so it can invest in a repair programme as part of a new lease and in its youth football work.  However, if MVDC insist on taking court action, the Club will defend itself through its professional advisers and in court. 

A fuller response will be made in due course.

For and on behalf of Dorking Football Club Limited

13 November 2007 

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