Luton campaigners start petition to save Marsh Farm Outreach community hub

The hall was rescued back in 2010
Marsh Farm Outreach in Luton - Photo Google MapsMarsh Farm Outreach in Luton - Photo Google Maps
Marsh Farm Outreach in Luton - Photo Google Maps

Campaigners fighting to save a community hall they rescued in 2010 have launched a petition calling for Luton Council to accept the results of an independent review.

Marsh Farm Outreach say they have been hit with a large backdated rent bill and the threat of eviction despite volunteers ploughing their own funds and resources into rescuing and keeping the community building going. They say the building was at risk of demolition before they took it over.

Campaigners say a ‘rent earned’ agreement was put in place with the council and volunteers with Luton Council paying to fix the dry rot and volunteers paying for the building work needed to rescue and restore the building.

Although work at the Bramingham Road building was valued at £105k campaigners say the council only offered two and a half years ‘rent earned’, or £21.5k.

Campaigners claim the Director of Property at the council finally offered to make the building a community asset transfer (CAT) with a peppercorn rent.

They said: "This was the only fair resolution because the labour and materials MFO invested after the repair phase to bring the house back into full community use were even greater than the first rescue phase.”

But they now claim Luton Council has denied the CAT offer, claiming the Outreach is a commercial business.

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The group says an Independent Member for Standards ruled the ‘rent earned’ scheme should run to five years, wiping out the rent arrears and that the CAT scheme could go ahead.

But they claim the council has refused to take the changes suggested in the report on board and is holding a meeting behind closed doors on Monday to decide the Outreach’s fate.

Rob Goodwin, Director of MFO said: “The current situation is a direct refusal of certain elements within the council to engage with us or recognise the demonstrable benefits of our work despite years of pleading from us for a constructive relationship. Instead we have met with objection and frustration at every step of our already challenging journey.”

To sign the petition go to http://form.jotform.com/221875838727370

Luton Council said: “Executive will be asked on Monday to consider a report relating to rent arrears and adherence to lease conditions at Marsh House. It would be inappropriate to comment further in the meantime.”

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