Future of Tamworth golf course being discussed

TAMWORTH council chiefs said they are “looking at options” for the future of the golf course after its operators went into liquidation.

Members of the public are being invited to have their say about the future of the course, via the borough council’s website www.tamworth.gov.uk.

Their comments will then be fed back to the council’s Cabinet, it has been revealed.

But bosses said they would have to take the council’s “financial situation” into account and decide if the course was “the best use” of the asset.

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Tamworth Borough Council has, with the agreement of the liquidator and Tamworth Golf Centre, ensured the clubhouse is secure, a spokesman said this week.

It is now being checked regularly throughout the day, evenings and weekends. The council is also due to meet with golf club members to discuss the situation and where appropriate, share respective views.

In the meantime, the council has arranged access for members to collect their personal belongings.

The next steps include the council meeting with the liquidator and other creditors.

This will allow the council to find out more, such as the terms of the liquidation process and timescales involved.

Once the liquidators have finalised their work and reported back, the council will be clearer about which options can be considered and progressed further.

The liquidators will be dealing with all creditor enquiries, as well as staffing and employment issues.

Leader of the Council, Councillor Danny Cook, said: “I realise this is a time of uncertainty for the golf club members and staff. We are looking at the options available to us, as a local authority.

“The company is in the process of liquidation, but the land remains in our ownership. It was clear that the company was no longer viable and could not meet its commitments.

“I could not – and would not – justify restructuring rents and other terms any further.”

Cllr Cook said the council had been working with the operator for some time, and that he had personally led discussions which brought an earlier end to tipping on the site.

“Despite having worked closely with Tamworth Golf Centre Ltd – and recognising the challenges that the recession had on its business model – there came a point where it was simply no longer in interest of the taxpayers to continue as we were,” he continued.

“We recognise that for the majority of the time the company ran the course, the borough council benefited financially from the arrangement. However I also recognise we had reached the point of no return.”

“Until we have met with the liquidators to find out more, we are limited to in the action we can take due to a wide range of legal issues. However we are undertaking a lot of background work to see what options are available to us.

“If people could bear with us for two to three weeks while we gather all this information we need, I will be discussing a number of options with Tamworth Borough Council’s Cabinet to look at the future of the course.

“I will also be seeking public opinion to ensure that any future decisions take into account the thoughts of Tamworth residents.”

But Cllr Cook added: “It is important we understand feedback surrounding future provision of golf in Tamworth, and whether – in the current climate – it is the best use of this asset; after all, the course belongs to the taxpayer and we respect that.

“When looking into the options available to us, we must also take our priorities and current financial situation into account.”