Club considers council complaint

A non-league football club that won a court battle over the future of its ground said it may make an official complaint against the local council.

Dorking FC won the right to negotiate a new lease for the Meadowbank ground following a county court judgement.

Mole Valley council sought to repossess the facilities, claiming that they were not being maintained properly.

The club said the council had sought to cast a cloud over Dorking FC but the authority said it had acted fairly.

Dorking FC said it was now actively considering making a complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman about Mole Valley District Council's conduct.

Judge Nathan's response to the situation was more balanced than the club's statement suggests and he said that the council had acted decently Mole Valley District Council

It continued: "The judge not only threw out all arguments raised by the council and ordered the council to negotiate a new lease with the club but made a significant cost order in the club's favour.

"The club has always strongly disputed the council's blinkered and one sided interpretation of the repairs needed to the ground, which is seen as perfectly adequate and fit for purpose by the football authorities."

Mole Valley District Council said it reluctantly took the court action because it "could no longer stand by and watch the premises fall into further disrepair".

'Acted decently'

A spokeswoman said: "The council's concerns over the state of disrepair at the club have grown over a considerable period of time.

"Judge Nathan's response to the situation was more balanced than the club's statement suggests and he said that the council had acted decently."

Following the judgement, the council, which is the landlord of Meadowbank, in Mill Lane, Dorking, and the club have three months to agree terms.

Dorking FC, who are in the Combined Counties League Premier Division, have played at Meadowbank since the 1950s.

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