A GROUP who are fighting against a parish council to keep on the running a pavilion have stepped-up their fight by having 3,500 fliers delivered to local houses.

Members of the Ken Williams Memorial Pavilion have been fighting Hazlemere Parish Council for months after it was announced a new rent scheme is planned.

Over 1100 people have already signed an online petition to keep the rent at the same cost and now campaigners have delivered a flier to every house in Hazlemere.

John Horton of the Hazlemere Sports Association was part of a group of almost 40 people who questioned parish councillors recently.

He said: “I would also like to know where you think that you got your mandate to do what you’re doing from the Hazlemere public to effectively force out volunteers who have served the Hazlemere community so well for many years?”

The new rent came as a shock to pavilion volunteers and members who previously signed a ‘£1peppercorn lease.

However, the council’s solicitors say the agreement has expired, is not legally binding and want a commercial lease in place on the pavilion, valued at £40,500 per year.

Mr Horton said to Councillor Brian Mapletoft in the meeting: “You were elected in 2011 with 769 votes, yet the 2010 Chairman who signed the peppercorn agreement got 1,104 votes.

“That should tell you or imply that the Hazlemere public preferred her approach, which involved working in harmony with volunteer groups.

“Therefore I would ask your fellow councillors, particularly those who weren’t elected by Hazlemere residents, to reflect on whether it’s better to work in harmony with such groups or let the current chairman keep running this council as though it’s his own personal fiefdom where he appears to call all of the shots and no-one challenges him.

“I urge you to stand up to him, show some moral fibre and force a vote against the bully-boy approach that we have had to endure.”

Cllr Mapletoft said: “I’m the chairman of this council because I have been elected to that office, I was not deputed or nominated.

“I’m standing on my merits as do the members of this council, we endeavour to have all of our debates absolutely fully open so everyone can participate, I am not going to entertain people driving a wedge between members of the council.

“We need to talk to reach a resolution.”

He added: “I think the issue which Hazlemere Sports Association have is you have never actually had a situation where the council has stood up for itself they have always abased themselves before you because you are a big powerful pressure group so this time it is slightly different.”