Charity may face eviction from historic mansion over £97,000 rent increase

A council’s dispute with a charity over a mansion should be resolved with an “affordable and fair” agreement – say councillors who heavily criticised each other. 

The Bridges charity, which is based in a grade-ll listed mansion house, has been locked in dispute over a future lease agreement with its local authority landlords that escalated to an eviction threat. 

When that was denied at the council’s September meeting the opposition councillor who tabled a motion calling for the council cabinet to seek an affordable and fair agreement with the trustees said he would read from the email, sent by the council, giving a deadline. 

The 17th century Drybridge House was restored by the Bridges Centre, at a cost of around £1.5 million but its 25-year lease, agreed in 2000 at a peppercorn rent of just £1 a year, has been due for renewal with an independent valuation putting the annual rent at £97,000. 

Landlords Monmouthshire County Council have offered a rent rebate of 90 per cent in the first year and 85 per cent in the second and third years with a review every three years. It has said it has to hold a review of rent rebates to charitable tenants but the discount will continue as long as the building, which also hosts events and weddings, is used to “support the local community”. 

But Councillor Richard John, the leader of the Conservative opposition group, said the charity needs security over the future of its base in the centre of Monmouth. 

He said: “You can’t rely on a future council being able to extend that goodwill towards Bridges and that rebate of 85 to 90 per cent. There’ are no guarantees, they need to see that on the terms of the lease to have that security.” 

Cllr John, who said he didn’t believe any administration would want to see Bridges fail, added: “I appeal to you to take the threat of eviction of the table and to get around the table and agree a deal.” 

He also said it was “clearly not true” for cabinet member, and Labour councillor for Monmouth’s Drybridge ward, Catrin Maby to have told the meeting “at no point has any threat of eviction been made”. 

Cllr John said he wouldn’t have said Bridges was threatened with eviction if it wasn’t true and asked the chairman, if it was necessary for him to read from the council email which he said threatened eviction if a deal wasn’t concluded by August 29, a deadline that has since been extended. 

Chief executive Paul Matthews said if Cllr John was satisfied his statement accurately reflected the email he didn’t need to read it out. Cllr John then said he was a “bit surprised” cabinet members aren’t aware of correspondence between officers and Bridges. 

Labour’s cabinet member responsible Ben Callard said the council has adjusted its offer during negotiations but said when it has thought it has reached an agreement  it has been rejected. The councillor however said he would support Cllr John’s motion and said: “All of us really want Bridges to succeed and agree a lease.” 

Green Party cabinet member Ian Chandler said the charity’s income, related to grants from either the council or Welsh Government and for services provided, amounted to £600,000 last year and also said it earns income from subletting parts of the property including stables, an annex and land. 

Cllr Chandler said its rental income was £74,000 last year with £60,000 of that from commercial tenants. 

During the meeting Labour councillors accused Conservatives, who have been campaigning on the issue, of spreading “misinformation” and of “scaremongering”, claims that were angrily rejected.

Supporters of the centre, which provides a base for charities, clubs and support services, attended the full council meeting, at County Hall in Usk, and applauded several times when councillors spoke in favour of the centre.