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Search forHutton: Court orders a truce in youth centre bust-up
Wednesday, November 19, 2008, 07:00
With the prospect of a hugely expensive High Court hearing, representatives from Brentwood Youth Project (BYP) and another group calling themselves the Hutton Community Representatives (HCR) agreed to try to work together to run the centre effectively for the community.
At a court hearing on Monday two people from each side were installed as quasi-trustees until an AGM in May.
These trustees are BYP representatives Helen Martin and Patsy Simpkins, who was not present in court, along with Fiona Moore and Nobby Oval, both representatives from the HCR group.
The agreement was part of an order granted at Southend County Court after long negotiations between the parties and their solicitors.
Both sides now claim they will work together to save the centre for the community.
More than 20 residents attended court when it was due to decide whether injunctions banning the HCR group and two individuals from the centre would continue.
In the end, long, closed-door negotiations proved to be successful and it was agreed that Janet Pearce and Robert Watson remained banned from the centre unless it can be proved and agreed by the four trustees that they are members.
After the order had been agreed the three trustees present agreed that they had little choice but to try to work at the centre together.
HCR member Mr Oval said he felt this outcome was the only way forward.
He said: "I personally think it wasn't going anywhere. It was only going to be arguments and fighting."
Miss Moore added: "We have to work together to save the community centre."
Ms Martin also gave assurances that it would be business as usual and all the classes and activities would continue to run normally at the centre.
She said the community centre was growing and added: "Since the refurbishment it has really picked up. More people are coming all the time."
The Harrison Close centre is home to a wide range of clubs and groups including boxing, badminton, dancing and table tennis.
The bar at the centre is not affected by the order and paperwork taken from there has been ordered to be returned.
The Gazette previously reported that Brentwood Youth Project manager Barry Bowers claimed that on August 13, the project was "hijacked" by HCR, who stayed in the building for about three weeks.
The BYP then gained the court order against the group and two individuals banning them from the centre and reopened to continue offering a range of activities to the community.
It had been reported Mr Bowers had been fired from the centre by trustees under allegations of gross misconduct. HCR claimed they took control of the centre from Mr Bowers and proceeded to run it for the benefit of the community and the charitable objectives of the association.
However Mr Bowers claimed the letter dismissing him from the centre was forged or falsified.
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AGREEMENT: Hutton Community Centre
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