PC & Cricket Club Lease on PC website

Question

The PC has a lease with the village Cricket Club who lease the playing-field (the club ropes off and maintains the middle crease area throughout the season) for block periods of ten years to enable their playing and entering the Sunday league fixtures, in exchange they meet 50% of the cost of gras cutting.

The council has been asked to publish that Lease on its website, the members are unclear as to whether they must or should or simply send a copy to anyone who requests it?

Answer 1

Who has asked for the terms to be put on the web site and for what reason? I would have thought that the terms of the lease were confidential between the PC and the tenant and would only be made known if the lease was put out to tender. Written into the lease would have been stipulations as to how and who by the terms could be changed and what the period of the lease was for and how it would ( or not) be renewed. Or was it done on a nod and a handshake some time ago and needs to be brought into the 21st Century?

Answer 2

I'd be happy to be corrected but I do not think there is any compulsion to publish a lease on your website.

I do, however, believe that a copy could be demanded if your council received a Freedom of Information request to do so.

Answer 3

IMHO the lease should be made public on the council website.   The agreement is between a club and a public body, financed by the tax payer, and the tax payer should be able to see what is going on - with ease.

Answer 4

As it could be demanded under FOI, there seems little point resisting publication with redaction of any sensitive commercial or personal information.