Friction over rugby club building plans
Irritated town council ‘not consulted’ about work
SOME Hungerford town councillors have expressed fresh irritation with the local rugby club at a new Triangle Field development.
Fears were expressed by others that the two parties could be on a collision course once more.
The issue arose during discussion of an agenda item titled ‘Improvements to kitchen including new extractor fan’.
Town mayor Helen Simpson pointed out that, although the club leases the Triangle Field building, the town council as owners should have been consulted about the work.
She said: “There are worries that people could bang their head on the pipe.”
The deputy chairwoman of the town council’s environment and planning committee, Ellie Yakar-Wells, described the installation as “pretty ugly” and pointed out: “It’s our building.”
Councillor Richard Hudson warned: “We could be liable [if anyone was hurt].”
Other town councillors pushed back, with Jerry Keates suggesting taking any action would be akin to “poking a stick in the hornet’s nest”.
Historically, the town council and the club have been odds over rent for the pitch and clubhouse on the Triangle Field.
In May 2020, the town council voted to bring a working party ‘in house’ to review the management of the site, due to health and safety fears and ongoing concerns over finance.
At a town council meeting that year, Mrs Simpson revealed
that for the past two years an agreed rent rise had not been paid.
That led to friction between the club and town councillors, some of whom have since resigned.
The town council later mended fences with the club and Mrs Simpson said in a statement: “The council enjoys a good relationship with Hungerford Town Rugby Football Club.
“The club is hugely successful and continues to grow its membership season after season.”
At Monday’s full town council meeting, councillor Nick Schlanker warned: “Are we really that concerned about it?
“It looks like we’re picking another fight with the club.”
The mayor replied: “I think that’s unfair.
“We did say we wanted to see any plans, but all we saw was the result.”
The council decided to defer the matter until a meeting of the town council’s recreation and amenities committee to give members a chance to consider their position on the matter.