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Hyde Park: 'Tear up the bill for Royal Park protest'
Council chiefs are being urged not to pursue legal costs against a group of people who unlawfully occupied a former primary school.
The former Royal Park Primary School in Hyde Park had stood empty for over five years when last month a group of protesters – who want it retained for community use – moved in to the building.
Concerned about its deteriorating state and fearing it would be demolished unless improvements were carried out, a group of residents took over the large Victorian building to carry out repairs and clean up debris and rubbish.
They even held a number of community events at the former school before the council took legal action to have them removed.
Their occupation came to an end when Leeds County Court granted the council a possession order and the group was also handed a 2,948 bill for the council's costs.
But now the council's Inner North West Area Committee, which covers Hyde Park, has asked the council not to pursue its costs.
Committee members agreed a resolution put by Coun Bernard Atha (Lab, Kirkstall) that the council be asked to withdraw its claim for costs.
He told the Yorkshire Evening Post that the people who occupied the building had been motivated by genuine concerns over its future.
He said they had left the former school in a better condition and carried out jobs which should have been the responsibility of the council.
Coun Atha added: "A sum of about 3,000 isn't really a lot of money to the council but it is to the group involved and it will take them a lot of effort to raise such an amount."
Coun Jamie Matthews (Lib Dem, Headingley) said: "It would be right for the council to acknowledge the good work these people did and not pursue costs."
A council spokesman said: "The Inner North West Area Committee has asked that costs associated with the recent Royal Park Primary School court action are not pursued. We are currently considering the request."
The council has invited bids for the former school. Its future is expected to be decided within the next few months.
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Saturday 04 February 2012
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