Blog

The chairman of a Nottingham community group complained to police after claiming council staff tore down posters on his building. Phil Merry says he was told during a meeting on February 7 that if the Mapperley Community Association did not hand over the keys, they could be evicted from the Mapperley Community Center on Woodborough Road, which they have used since 1957.

Following that meeting, the Mapperley Community Association placed four posters outside the building to “raise awareness” of the possibility of eviction. It later emerged that Nottingham City Council appeared to change their position during a meeting on 8 March.

During that meeting, Merry says the council said eviction was “never an option.” Instead, Phil Merry says the council is willing to negotiate the signing of a new lease that will bring the Mapperley Community Association to a commercial rental level.

Should the TV license be removed? Give us your opinion here

But Merry says the uncertainty surrounding the initial eviction threat has cost the group around £4,000. Now, Mr Merry says he complained to Nottinghamshire police after he said he saw Nottingham City Council employees tearing down their banners.

He says that it happened on March 16 and that he saw it on the security cameras and that he was absent at the time. He said: “In total these posters cost us around £260 to produce.

“The only reason we did them is because the council threatened to evict us. We’re already out of pocket for that, so I was furious to see the council come to tear up the signs without warning.”

Nottingham City Council said it would not officially comment on Mr Merry’s complaint. But in an email sent to him by the authority, seen by Nottinghamshire Live, the council says the signs were placed on his property without permission.

The council says one poster referred to a city council official by name, which was deemed “inappropriate”. The council also said in the email, sent on March 17, that “by placing posters of this nature in the public domain, the center has engaged in anti-social behaviour, conduct which has caused, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm or distress to any person”.

Phil Merry says that only one of the four posters named a council officer. Nottinghamshire Police confirmed that they had investigated Phil Merry’s complaint, but told him it was a civil matter.

Speaking earlier about the future of Mapperley Community Association, a Nottingham City Council spokesperson said: “The council continues to conduct a review of all its community assets and buildings to ensure they provide the best value for local taxpayers. This is part of our work under the Together for Nottingham Plan.

“Negotiations are ongoing with the group based at Mapperley Community Center and we believe they have been positive… We are carefully considering your input to see if we can find a solution that works for everyone.”

READ NEXT: