Is council trying to force Comets out? (From Croydon Guardian)

Is council trying to force Comets out?

7:51am Thursday 24th January 2008 in News By Gemma Wheatley

A Croydon steel band said it intends to "fight the council to the death" after claims the town hall is trying to silence it.

The Comets Community project provides a variety of musical and artistic activities for children and aims to prevent vulnerable youngsters from falling into crime.

But at the end of last year Croydon Council began to look for alternative accommodation for the group after they claimed they had received countless complaints from neighbours about noise.

However at a later meeting the council informed the Comets it had only received five complaints.

The Comets are currently allowed to practice in a pavilion at a recreation ground off Aukland Road in South Norwood from 7pm to 9.30pm on Mondays and Thursdays.

But the council has rearranged the practice hours and denied them access to the pavilion at weekends.

“Morale has hit rock bottom. I am just so frustrated because it is not only hampering my teaching but it is having an adverse affect on the band and it is getting worse.”

David Wellecomme

The band had already had it practicing hours cut and lost 40 members last year. Its musical director, David Wellecomme, said: "We asked the council for an extra hour on top of our bi-weekly practice sessions simply so we could have a turnaround of the two groups and we were told it shouldn't be a problem. So when we received an email this week to say that not only had this been denied but the hours were brought back to an hour earlier we were furious.

The Comets Community Project has been using the Auckland Road pavilion for almost six years."

The group has spent £25,000 improving the facilities and the building and they do not want to start all over again.

David added: "Morale has hit rock bottom. I am just so frustrated because it is not only hampering my teaching but it is having an adverse affect on the band and it is getting worse."

And project manager Gina Sheridan said: "I feel like we are going round in circles with the council, they are being so obstructive. It is absolutely outrageous to do this to these kids."

In a letter to the group Anjli Gupta, senior property and regeneration consultant for Croydon Council, said: "The council wants you to note that the pavilion should not be regarded as a permanent home for the Comets. However, the council is fully supportive of the Comets Community project in helping channel local young people into positive activities and congratulate your achievements to date.

"In order to assist in the longer term the council is investigating the possibility of your requirements being met through a current or future school building programme."