Thetownend.com

SWINDON Town Football Club is due in court next month for failing to pay rent on the County Ground and faces the possibility of being evicted.

The club owes more than £50,000 to the council, which owns the ground, and that is for money owed over several months.

It is understood there is a clause in the rent agreement which says if the bill is not paid for several months then the money will be pursued through the courts.

If the court finds in favour of the council they have the right to take control of the ground, although it is hoped a solution can be found before that.

The news of the court action comes days after it was announced the amount of Government funding the council will receive next year is due to be significantly less than first thought, meaning an extra £1m in savings will need to be found.

Council chiefs are also keen not to allow the debt to mount to unmanageable levels as it has under previous owners.

A court date has been set for January 5, although if the club, owned by Lee Power, pays the bill this may be cancelled.

A council spokesman said: “The council are pursuing the usual legal action when rent is not paid and payment has not been agreed.

“In this instance the club owes us over £50,000 and it has not indicated when this will be paid.

“None of the individuals and businesses who pay their rent to the council on time would expect us to make an exception, particularly when we are facing serious financial challenges in providing essential services and still have a budget gap for this year of £2m.

“If the court finds in the council’s favour we will have the right to take possession of the ground within 28 days, but we would hope to resolve things with the club before it gets to that stage.

“The council agreed it would not allow whoever owned the club to rack up huge debts, because in the past this led to it having to write-off large sums of money in order for the club to survive. We can’t afford to do that again.”

While the club has enjoyed success on the field and are third in League One, this is not the first time this season Swindon Town has been accused of not paying money owed to the public purse.

In August it was revealed the club owed the police almost £30,000 for unpaid police bills, which has since been resolved.

Swindon Town were contacted for comment but no one was available.

Because we operate like clockwork.

... so it's just the Adver 'shit-stirring' again, then, is it? 

... so it's just the Adver 'shit-stirring' again, then, is it? 

... so it's just the Adver 'shit-stirring' again, then, is it? 

The transfer window reopens in a week, I can't see who it would benefit to go public now?

Exactly....I'll be amazed if we get through January intact.

We have a Sky fixture in early Jan, my mind wanders back to 4 years ago when we had a Sky fixture in Jan at the Valley, and stuffed the Addicks 4-2.   Austin 2, Ritchie, Morrison....recent or potential value in the transfer market roughly 22mill. We got about 2 mill...

The sale of 2 of those, meant relegation.

Saturday's crowd in relation to elsewhere was pretty dismal, even fewer than Dongs, and Power has warned us...

Saturday's crowd in relation to elsewhere was pretty dismal, even fewer than Dongs, and Power has warned us...

We have met up with the Council with respect to a discussion on the rental arrears and have set out our position. In short, the club has expended material costs on repairs and maintenance of The County Ground to ensure that that it is in a fit condition so that we can host matches.

Read more at http://www.swindontownfc.co.uk/news/article/club-statement-2160809.aspx#OOWYc8xi8Lx5mo7b.99

I thought we owned the stadium but not the ground it's on. Would that not mean that we would be responsible for repairs and what not?

I don't really know to be honest.

Read more at http://www.swindontownfc.co.uk/news/article/club-statement-2160809.aspx#OOWYc8xi8Lx5mo7b.99

I thought we owned the stadium but not the ground it's on. Would that not mean that we would be responsible for repairs and what not?

I don't really know to be honest.

SWINDON Town Football Club has issued a statement after the Adver revealed it is due in court next month for failing to pay rent on the County Ground and faces the possibility of being evicted.

The club owes more than £50,000 to the council, which owns the ground, and that is for money owed over several months. It is understood there is a clause in the rent agreement which says if the bill is not paid for several months then the money will be pursued through the courts.

Today the club issued the statement: "We have met up with the Council with respect to a discussion on the rental arrears and have set out our position.

"In short, the club has expended material costs on repairs and maintenance of The County Ground to ensure that that it is in a fit condition so that we can host matches.

"We are keen to come to some understanding with the Council on these arrears in light of these significant costs and are currently in active dialogue with them to agree on a pragmatic way forward given that, at heart, both parties have a mutuality of interest in ensuring a compromise is reached."

It didn't take long for us to headline on the City site again.

Yes.  We are also responsible for things like the approach road, alongside the CGH to the back of the Arkells.

Although the Council own the ground it's on....interestingly not the ground under the CG.  Just like home owners don't own the ground under their houses.  The Tories recently passed legislation, making it OK for fracking companies to bore under your house without permission, and fill in te subsequent hole with any old shit.

Seriously what has unpaid rent got to do with the Tories?

I think we own the DR as it wasn't built when we sold the ground to the BC, and the club paid for it to be constructed from the monies we made from our one season in the PL and selling the likes of Summerbee and Moncur following relegation. I'm sure it's been listed as an asset on balance sheets in the past. Not sure about the rest of the ground, but regardless I'm sure the lease would have been on a full repair basis.

However, all that is pretty irrelevant as we all know that currently there is no lease. That ran out a year or more ago, and we've been working on a bit of an ad hoc basis month by month ever since. Presumably the club have been trying to initiate discussions on the issue of the state of the ground and agreeing a new lease and have been deliberately withholding rental payments to "incentivise the prioritisation" of such discussions.

I'm not remotely concerned we're in any danger of being evicted or even getting to court. This is not a cash flow issue. Like the policing bill business this is simply part of a commercial negotiation.

However, all that is pretty irrelevant as we all know that currently there is no lease. That ran out a year or more ago, and we've been working on a bit of an ad hoc basis month by month ever since. Presumably the club have been trying to initiate discussions on the issue of the state of the ground and agreeing a new lease and have been deliberately withholding rental payments to "incentivise the prioritisation" of such discussions.

I'm not remotely concerned we're in any danger of being evicted or even getting to court. This is not a cash flow issue. Like the policing bill business this is simply part of a commercial negotiation.

 Just like home owners don't own the ground under their houses.

No idea what you're on about here.

The second bit has some merit though.

BBC Wiltshire Sport ‏@BBCWiltsSport  36s37 seconds ago
FOOTBALL: In response to @Official_STFC's earlier statement http://tinyurl.com/prca8g4  SBC says #stfc is responsible for maintenance of the CG

Yeah because councils are nothing to do with politics right

If that is the case then the club must own the entire infrastructure of the CG.

If the council, as landlord, owned it they would be responsible for its upkeep

My understanding from previous accounts that were published is that the DR stand is an asset of the club as it is one of the few things debts have been secured against (the lease and the lawnmower being others!).  It was a modular design to allow it to be easily dismantled if ever needed or changed in future developments.  The other stands never appear in the accounts from memory which would suggest non ownership and entirely part of the leasehold.

Umm, not in this case. No.

The point I was trying to make is that ownership when it involves political expediency, may not be what people assume to be the case...however this place is now more Don Heath than Don Rogers, so censorship is to be expected.

I don't really know what to make of this. What has anyone got to gain from publicising any of this crap?

At least it's given our friends over on OTIB another reason to bust out the 'Swindle' word again. We all know how much they love that.

I'm gonna read between the lines again, I think this is something to do with the trip to Australia, I suspect there is an angle here we cant yet see, possibly manoeuvring to buy the ground back maybe.

By the sounds of it the council leaked this to the adver, and it is coming up to that time of year again when they start rumblings on council tax freezing or going up and how they have no money, will have to cut x, y & z service to manage so this is probably a nice distraction they can say we are short of money as STFC owe us 50k, but we are being good and trying to recover this.

Odd if they are in discussions that they should claim they are going to court, surely you discuss until you reach an impasse and then use a neuteral body to mediate this type of claim.

Ontop of this the land can only be used for sporting activity which was stipulated by the Goddard estate when it donated the land to the town of Swindon so worthless for development.

According to the BBC the club pay the council 17k a month rent plus all up keep costs which is 200k plus per year.Power is basically saying it is too much to pay for a staduim that is delapidated and costs will only go up.He is looking for a better deal for the club and in my opinion the council should be wary ,if we move out they will loose all the rental income plus they will be responsible for the upkeep.Ontop of this the land can only be used for sporting activity which was stipulated by the Goddard estate when it donated the land to the town of Swindon so worthless for development.

The club, might look at a ground share with Supermarine as a possibilty, if moving out is on the cards....maybe the DRS could be recycled, existing capacity at Hunt's Copse  is 3K DRS must be near on 3K, so enough of a capacity in the short term, whilst a bit more development is carried out.

Pretty sure its 4600

Oh fuck off Reg.

Christmas is great in the Smeeton household

According to the BBC the club pay the council 17k a month rent plus all up keep costs which is 200k plus per year.Power is basically saying it is too much to pay for a staduim that is delapidated and costs will only go up.He is looking for a better deal for the club and in my opinion the council should be wary ,if we move out they will loose all the rental income plus they will be responsible for the upkeep.Ontop of this the land can only be used for sporting activity which was stipulated by the Goddard estate when it donated the land to the town of Swindon so worthless for development.

we should just ask Bristol City if we can share their ground

My mates mother-in-law is a lawyer for the council and she's said that they are repossessing the County Ground next week! @andrew_FLICW

Load of bollocks

Interesting tweet from @ajferguson85

perhaps they misunderstood when Power told them they could take everything that we have in the bank

I have to agree, they can't repossess anything until it has at least gone to court...which isn't until the 5th Jan.

My mates sisters dog's postman said that the council were going to turn the cg into a massive supermarket.

'My mate's mother-in-law'

I do piss off  ::)

I tweeted the council leader and asked hin if this was true ,his silence is deafening!

Cooper's fucking off, Luongo, Foderingham, Kasim, Smith and Nathan are being sold and the grounds being turned into a Lidl.

Apart from the above, everything's rosy!

Let's say that SBC do reposses the CG....

We'd have to ground share, say with Cheltenham - not ideal even in the short term but we'd still be playing.

SBC on the other hand would have a football stadium with exactly zero other possible tenants. On top of the lost rent they'd be responsible for the upkeep, security, insurance, rates and so on. In total they'd probably be out £500k a year which they don't have and will have even less as their funding is cut further in the coming months/years.

Redeveloping it for other purposes wouldn't be easy and would take some time. There is the covenant, the community purchase right, planning permission, local opposition to the change of use and so on. Even if they sell it on the same issues apply.

In short, the CG is a white elephant and repossession would be a complete and utter disaster for SBC and the last thing they want. I'm guessing Power has come to a similar conclusion, has a potential backer lined up to redevelop the stadium and is thinking more and more that promotion to The Championship is a possibility. So he's decided now is the time to take SBC on, I'd guess he'd be looking to buy the ground or at minimum get a vastly reduce rent.

As regards the CG being repossessed next week, I'd say that claim is beyond complete and utter bollocks. There is only a few months arrears and a dispute over the payments and terms of the lease - no way in hell a judge would grant a repossession order especially at the first hearing.

Sound like a quote from otib

We don't have a lease
Ran out a long time ago (13 months iirc )

But your other points remain valid

and our 12 loan players are going back in January

...now it sounds like otib

Buzz-killington.

Let's say that SBC do reposses the CG....

We'd have to ground share, say with Cheltenham - not ideal even in the short term but we'd still be playing.

SBC on the other hand would have a football stadium with exactly zero other possible tenants. On top of the lost rent they'd be responsible for the upkeep, security, insurance, rates and so on. In total they'd probably be out £500k a year which they don't have and will have even less as their funding is cut further in the coming months/years.

Redeveloping it for other purposes wouldn't be easy and would take some time. There is the covenant, the community purchase right, planning permission, local opposition to the change of use and so on. Even if they sell it on the same issues apply.

In short, the CG is a white elephant and repossession would be a complete and utter disaster for SBC and the last thing they want. I'm guessing Power has come to a similar conclusion, has a potential backer lined up to redevelop the stadium and is thinking more and more that promotion to The Championship is a possibility. So he's decided now is the time to take SBC on, I'd guess he'd be looking to buy the ground or at minimum get a vastly reduce rent.

As regards the CG being repossessed next week, I'd say that claim is beyond complete and utter bollocks. There is only a few months arrears and a dispute over the payments and terms of the lease - no way in hell a judge would grant a repossession order especially at the first hearing.

Not enough use of the word 'Swindle' to be OTIB.

SBC said the original lease is still in effect, on a month by month basis I believe. They used some special term to describe it, I'd guess it's similar to how a residential lease continues once the original period has expired.

The lease has expired however the club are holding over while a new is agreed so presently provisions remain as per expired lease remain in force unless agreed by both parties.

My only very slight concern and I doubt it would lead to repossession is that with an election coming up some smart arse councillor may be seeking to make a big deal about this and driving the council's agenda.

who according to some of his fellow councillors is definitely trying to be come a career politician!

This is the reason why sbc will always reject a new build stadium out of town.

My only very slight concern and I doubt it would lead to repossession is that with an election coming up some smart arse councillor may be seeking to make a big deal about this and driving the council's agenda.

You lot have got over-active imaginations and too much time on your hands.   :)

Should be going to the games instead.....ouch ;)

soapy tit wank, but all the councillors and mp's will be going to games as election day looms - photo opportunity etc.  

What agenda though? Only positive outcome I can see for the councillor's is a long term lease or sale on Power's terms. Just needs Power to stand up to them and their aggressive stance becomes the house of cards it's always been.

A move away from The County Ground is the only logical answer. If Power can secure funding and developers for a new stadium I hope we build it out of SBC area, I.e Wootton Bassett J16 etc. Would love to see SBC stuck with a white elephant they can't do jack shit with.

Then we can be like Colchester, Oxford, Northampton etc etc etc

And yearn for the days before we moved to a soulless concrete edifice 

Regardless of who's in the council, they couldn't give two shits about the football club.

If Swindon has a population of 200,000, and 10,000 of them follow the Town (in my experience a good chunk of support comes from surrounding towns), then 1 in 20 residents gives a damn.

Another white elephant you will all have to pay for? The council belongs to the people of swindon, there may be some shit councillers there at the moment but the point of democracy is you can remove them, it's not about personalities for fucks sake. Unbelievable apathy.  :no:

Found this about Plymouth paying £135k a year for Home Park after they sold the ground back to the council and retaining a right to buy back at 12 times the annual rent. Makes our £200k a year plus maintenance and improvements being our responsibility a bit steep.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-15354187

But the rent goes up 150% if they get back to the Championship, and 300% for a first visit to the top flight.

The basic difference here, is that Plymuff council, are obviously aware of both the commercial and cultural importance to the city....no longer the case in Swindon.

I guess in the ownership turmoil of since the Fitton/Black ownership we have not engaged SBC about moving forward

At least this has now been sorted

It has? Oh good!

What's next then?

Ha ha. That's made me giggle. How very embarrassing.

Oh for crying out load, it is on there as well.

Considering their infrastructure (or lack of) and wage bill now Di Canios era is pretty much 'gone', they are punching well above their weight.

There are much better run clubs in the divisions below.

It does still startle me on as to how they're maintaining their position. They've the potential to fall out of the top 6 as there seems to be a good chance of some 'movement' in January ;)

They are skint and struggling to keep up with regular running of a club. Swindon fans may think they got a little dosh, but they're on the brink.

I'm beginning to think it would be more fun watching them not getting promoted than us actually doing so!

Its good to have an insight into how OUR club is being run, especially by fans of other clubs :yawn:

When did our fans ever think we had any money? Quite the contrary on here.

I stopped going on OTIB a few days after we beat them (boy wasnt that fun). But from what I've seen on here, it's like reading a bitter ex-girlfriends facebook.

But from what I've seen on here, it's like reading a bitter ex-girlfriends facebook.

I heard once that Plymouth was the biggest city in Western Europe never to grace the top tier..

I think you can say Bristol is the biggest City In Western Europe never to accomplish or win anything in Sport..

Did"nt City win the Welsh cup ?

Didn't power say he didn't beleive we should be paying the whole rent due to the state of the repairs required, and now it seems they have agreed to pay the whole lot in installments.

My bad, tbf they are the 5th most successful team in Wales.
 :)

Not forgetting the gas,Watney cup winners 1972  :yay:

Does anyone know what the £300K "maintenance costs" figure mentioned in the Adver report refers to specifically?  I don't remember seeing that figure mentioned before anywhere in reports relating to the ongoing negotiation with SBC.

The terms of the deal between the club and the council will remain confidential, the court was told.

Council money. If anyone is that interested, bang in a freedom of information request.

Is it just a case of sending a letter to the chief executive requesting some info on a freedom of information?  I would be interested to know how much the council has raked in on fines on motorists for using the bus lanes since the cameras were installed?

Also remember, you can use some Bus lanes from 7pm to 7am even if there are camera's.

There are supposed to be five cameras which they said they were going to move around, but the one on Cricklade Road has been there since they purchased it!  The others are meant to be on pinch-points such as the one that is buses only in Ferndale Road, also just off Rodbourne Road and in West Swindon.  the once on Cricklade Road is certainly doing its job, cars and lorries no longer use the bus lane during the day, but I do understand they have been fining - or trying to fine - taxis who are entitled to use bus lanes - another Councillor Heenan cock-up!!

Council money. If anyone is that interested, bang in a freedom of information request.

What would be interesting is what expenditure the council have made at the County Ground since the turn of the century or future planning SBC have made for the long term future of the site. Other than maybe resurfacing the car park, very little. As SBC issue the safety certificate, they determine a lot of the maintenance expenditure.

What would be interesting is what expenditure the council have made at the County Ground since the turn of the century or future planning SBC have made for the long term future of the site. Other than maybe resurfacing the car park, very little. As SBC issue the safety certificate, they determine a lot of the maintenance expenditure.

FOI applies to any information the Council holds. The fact there is a private entity is involved is irrelevant.

Commercial confidentiality isn't applicable for FoI either (I.e. Merely marking an agreement as confidential won't do it) - standard  confidentiality clauses will have a carve out for things such as FoI disclosures. Confidentiality only applies in very limited circumstances, such as disclosing a third parties intellectual property. It is a very high threshold to meet.

The council would most likely disclose it, but redact the financials under the commercial interests exemption. They'd need to show the public interest in withholding that information is greater than the public interest in disclosure. Their argument would be that disclosing the numbers and profile of payments would inhibit their ability to negotiate terms with othrr tenants, to the public detriment.

Interesting you say this as when I previously worked in a public sector role (not a council) our Information Officers could find any number of excuses not to provide information for legal reasons - sadly normally after I had spent hours digging stuff out and passing it to them!

Swindon Town were due to be at County Court again today. Only made aware of it in last hour so not present and no further details.

I would imagine it was to sign and seal the payment plan for the outstanding debt

The tweet he was replying to was

Any reason why I would have seen Lee Power and Sangita Shah leave magistrates' court approx 1:30pm today? All smiles too

Have Ron Terry and Fredi ever been seen in the same room together?  :hmmm:

http://m.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/11731827.Swindon_Town_lose___36k_legal_fight_with_former_performance_analyst_over_sacking/

I guess if Power is adamant that the court decision is incorrect then he/STFC will appeal.

For 36k, is it worth it?

I would hope that Power would move on from this.

Probably unconnected but Ronny Terry writes regular health and fitness articles for ... The Swindon Advertiser

Anyone else surprised to read that Power's legal rep had gone into administration?  With the amount of business that Power has put his way since taking over at STFC, I would have thought the guy would have been placing an order for a Rolls Royce, rather than going into administration.

Todays front page.

Really?

All my daughter got at Bromley was a plaster for her nose, better tell her to dye her hair blonde for next time..

"I was in so much pain when I came around I thought I’d been bottled."

Note not punched, not hit, bottled.

Keeper coach spoke to her on twitter Saturday, offered her tickets for her and her nephew for next game  ( he was a mascot and she missed seeing him and the first half )

Not sure this is front page news really!

It's not news full stop

My mates Dad got knocked clean of his feet in the Town End by a stray warm up shot from Fjortoft.

The flying Norwegian ran over, apologised and that was that.

Though in hindsight I think the club owes him, and me, 20 years worth of season tickets, in cash.
With interest.

 

if the adver read this, pm me, I'll tell you about the time  former juventus player Vincent perricard nearly killed my first born during a warm up at Walsall.

to be fair it was a sledge hammer shot that missed his head by an inch. he wasn't expecting it either, what with being stood at the back of the stand.

I'll get him practising his shocked face, just in case there is a slow news day coming up..

If that was the game we won 2-1, you must have been sat right next to me as a Pericard shot nearly took my daughter out in the warm up. We were towards the back. Saying that Pericard probably nearly took most people out both before and during the game althuogh he did net one.

It's one of those things you should learn at a very early age, that if you go into the TE, while the players are kicking in, then it is hazardous....Town have had many a player, with only a passing acquaintance with the white rectangular thing with the onion bag strung up on it.

 Much better to hang about in pub or outside until approx a couple of mins before KO.....also means you don't have to watch Rockin Robin, or feel, nauseous when UB 40 is played.

"I was in so much pain when I came around I thought I’d been bottled."

Note not punched, not hit, bottled.

Amazing.

And Donkey got hit in the forehead last season sitting in the DRS. Good god, no-one is safe. Maybe the Adver could sponsor helmets for us all. Purple would be appropriate I think.

He still claims "that was a header" and that "he meant it". True story.

He still claims "that was a header" and that "he meant it". True story.

I hope you are all listening to what the wise man said.

Pretty sure I saw a ball hit a coffee out of the hand of a fan behind the goal, many years ago.