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| Council Leader Tony Johnson With The Petition |
"You are asking us to reject calls to transfer the leases,"said Johnson.
"We've had an e-mail from the owners of the club.
"Herefordshire Council has received the following from the new owner of Hereford United football club.
"This is a quote - 'We wish to leave all leases for the club in the name of Hereford United Football Club 1939 Limited.
"We have paid all football creditors and have been accepted into the Premier Division of the Southern Football League.'
"The council has accepted this information in good faith.
"I can't vouch for the accuracy of any of this. That's come to us in the last 48 hours, we've heard nothing since, other than a couple of curious telephone calls.
"As a Council we support the efforts of you and your colleagues, we like you want to see football remain in the city.
"We are the Landlords, we have no control over the club, we are not shareholders, we don't the club itself.
"We simply own the site on which the club sits.
"None the less, as a Council we share your ambitions. From a personal point of view I share your ambitions.
"I've had many conversations with one of your supporters here, Cllr Kenyon.
"We will do what we can."
Cllr Kenyon then asked Cllr Johnson if he could confirm whether the council have been paid the £65K owed by the football club.
"To my knowledge it's not been paid yet.
"We've been told they will pay (supporters laughter in background)."
Kenyon then asked if the date they were going to pay had passed are the council now going to take legal action against the club to recover the money for the taxpayer.
"The correspondance that I have didn't give a date by which it would be paid," continued Johnson.
"The correspondance said it was their intention to settle the outstanding debts to the Council and that there was an outstanding bond with an amount left in it and a question from them, could that bond be drawn down to offset at least part of the outstanding debt to the Council.
"No actual date came with the correspondance that we have received.
"As of the morning I do not believe that the debt has been paid, I do know legal people were looking at their request with regards to the bond.
"We share your concerns about the football club. There's nothing we would like better than football to remain where it is.
"I have to say it's a great pity the football club has got itself in this position. There is huge support from so many people.
"Where there is room for judgement we come down on the same side as you."
One supporter then suggested to Cllr Johnson that 'they do not intend to pay anyone out.'
"I believe your view is shared by many if not all of your supporters.
"Our legal team are looking to see what our options are and what we can do.
"We will do whatever we can and that's a promise."
