Council Pledges Quick Resolution to Log Cabin Lease Issue

Opposition says delays have put at risk £100,000 worth of funding


The centre provides care and activities for children with additional needs and disabilities

July 25, 2023

Ealing Council says that a solution is close at hand for a resolution of the longrunning issue of the Log Cabin’s lease.

For the last 12 years, the centre on Northfields Avenue, which provides care and activities for children with additional needs and disabilities, has occupied its base on Northfields Avenue under a licence from the council rather than a lease.

This gives the charity’s operations at the site less security of tenure.

The matter was raised by Liberal Democrat councillor Jon Ball at the Full Council meeting on 11 July. He asked the portfolio holder responsible, Cllr Polly Knewstub, cabinet member for thriving communities, if she was aware that the charity was at risk of losing a potential £100,000 donation from a corporate donor to pay for a new playground if the situation would be resolved.

Cllr Knewstub responded at the meeting that it was the council’s intention to resolve the situation quickly.

The Liberal Democrats say that the council has failed to sign leases for other local organisations including ESDEG (the Education and Skills Development Group, a charity which helps address the needs of the local Somali community), which runs the Viking Community Centre in Northolt and the 1st Ealing North Scout Group which uses the Scout hut in Montpelier Park.

Cllr Ball, who is the opposition spokesperson on Planning, Licensing and Housing said, “We are continuing to press Labour on this issue as their long delays in processing leases have a knock-on effect in that potential donors require a lease to show that a charity has a secure future. This comes at an unprecedented cost of living crisis where charitable giving has reduced and this slowness in processing essential legal documents could make all the difference to the continuing viability of local charities and other voluntary groups.”

Cllr Knewstub said, “The council is looking to agree the new lease with The Log Cabin charity in the next few months. There have been several reasons why this has taken some time, including the need to align terms with other equivalent providers and the need to agree a concurrent service level agreement for provision of the statutory service The Log Cabin charity operates on behalf of the council.”

Monique McGoey, Fundraising Manager at the Log Cabin said, " This fundraising is in reference to our new playground - which the children have been without since the old one had to be dismantled due to age in 2019.

"We have a few applications out for consideration, but none can proceed any further until a lease in place. There is interest to fund a portion of the playground from one particular funder, but they cannot take the discussions any further until the lease is in hand. This is standard practice for capital projects of this size.

"We are hoping to resolve this matter swiftly and resume fundraising for an exciting playground the children can enjoy."