Council to help scouts pay for increased rent

Scout groups, businesses and voluntary organisations have all been hit by the rent increases

Published on 06/02/2013 17:01

A scout group hit with a massive rent rise is to get help to pay the bill.

The council last year implemented a new rents policy to make charges fair across the town, and said the rent for St Augustine’s Scout Group would have to go from £150 a year to £8,000 a year.

The group now says the council has agreed provide 100 per cent of the new rent amount, and will decrease its assistance year-on-year.

Caroline Sutherst, group scout leader, said: “We are certainly more positive now that the council do want to help us. But the amount we are being asked to pay still concerns us.

“We have been really, really pleased with the support we have had from the public, we’ve been totally blown away.

“And we are very grateful to the Luton News for making people aware of what’s going on and campaigning not just for us but for other groups and businesses as well.”

Lib Dem group leader David Franks said he recognised the council needed to bring in more cash but called the handling of the issue “a disgrace”.

He said: “With just a bit of thought about how to go about it so much pain and aggravation could so easily have been avoided.”

The council’s finance review committee this week considered the Luton News petition for a re-think on the rent increases, and has asked the executive committee to consider a delay at its meeting on Monday.

Council leade Hazel Simmons said: “I am glad that Councillor Franks acknowledges that the council needs to raise money, due to the massive cuts being imposed on Luton by his government. He should tell Nick Clegg, how his cuts are hurting Luton.”

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Council to help scouts pay for increased rent

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