Ealing Councillor Lodges Formal Complaint Over Town Hall Hotel Plans
Trustee Jon Ball says council has been opaque in its financial dealings
(Aerial view of Mastcraft planning proposals for Town Hall)
Ealing Victoria Hall Trustee committee member Councillor Jon Ball has lodged a formal complaint with the Charity Commission over Ealing Council’s handling of the town hall 'sale'.
The Trust owns Ealing’s Victoria Hall which was built next to the Town Hall over 100 years ago with money donated by the public. The Council has managed it for many years, and now wants to include it in a lease of the whole Town Hall to hotel developer Mastcraft.
Last week Councillors at the planning committee voted by 9 votes to 3 to allow Mastcraft to use the western and central part of the Grade II listed building for a 120-room hotel with a health club and a cocktail bar. The eastern part would be retained for civic use.
However, Cllr Jon Ball, who was one of the three who opposed the application, has also voted against accounts put to the Trustees saying they do not give a true statement of the financial position. He says the Council has not given the Trustees sufficient data about the plans to dispose of Trust property. He also claims the council has been giving itself beneficial rates when using Trust space.
Cllr Ball said: “The Town Hall hotel plan has unfortunately passed this hurdle but it may still be prevented by either the charity commission or a potential legal challenge. The Labour administration are acting as if they own the whole building whereas in fact the Victoria Hall was funded by public subscription and is the property of a charitable trust. The Council can’t steal it from the people to sell it off!"
Cllr Ball also says that alternatives have not been properly considered and closing the Hall before any approval has been given by the Charity Commission to the Council’s plans is further depriving the Trust of its income, while removing the benefit of the space from the public for whom it was intended.
We have asked for further information from the Charity Commission and will update.
21 May 2019