Cheam CC Statement

Who We Are

Cheam Cricket Club was established in 1864 – some 56 years before Cheam Sports Club was created. The Sports Club was established in 1920 by members of the Cricket Club, who also established the hockey and tennis sections at the same time. 
 

Today, we serve between 200 and 290 members each season, including up to 220 junior members aged 5 to 17 from the local Cheam community. By total membership, cricket is one of the largest sections in the Sports Club. Every one of these members, including over 100 children and their families, is directly affected by this decision.

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The Attempted Dissolution Is Not Constitutional

Prior to the current dispute, the cricket section was already placed under significant pressure through proposals developed without consultation to remove our second cricket square and outdoor net facilities, to be replaced with a 3G pitch for other sports. These changes would have materially diminished our ability to operate multiple teams and junior cricket at Cheam. Following strong objection from the cricket section and wider concern, these proposals were paused.

 

Subsequently, the cricket section was presented with a substantial increase in its annual contribution — an 85% increase in rent — based on a grounds contract renegotiated without cricket’s involvement and communicated on a take-it-or-leave-it basis. Once again the cricket club opposed these unjustified rent hikes and requested a meeting between the executive officers and the grounds contractor SJK to attempt to find a resolution. Both parties rejected a meeting.

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On 16 March 2026, three Executive Officers declared the cricket section dissolved with “immediate effect,” claiming the decision was “final” with “no right of appeal.” They cited Sections 9, 13, 14 and 20 of the Constitution.

None of those sections confers authority to dissolve a section:

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• Section 9 outlines general management responsibilities. It does not authorise removing a section.

• Section 13.2 expressly guarantees that where a section disputes its rent, the section secretary may request a meeting with the Executive Officers “which will not be denied.” We have requested this meeting repeatedly. It has never been permitted.

• Section 14 concerns rent arrears. We have no arrears. We have paid our rent every year.

• Section 20 concerns facility management. It does not provide a mechanism for removing a section.

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This decision was taken by three individuals alone (executive officers). It was not voted on by the Executive Committee. It was not put to the membership at an EGM or AGM. Other sections and their members have publicly expressed support for the cricket section and have openly questioned the constitutional basis for this action.

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The Contract Figure Is Wrong

The Cheam Sports Club statement claims the original grounds maintenance contract was £40,000 and projects annual increases from that figure. This is incorrect on multiple counts.

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The original contract was negotiated at £32,730 – a figure confirmed in the Chairman’s own email of March 2021 and verified by the Surrey Cricket Foundation. The £40,152 figure referenced by the Executive Officers was a pre-negotiation quote that was subsequently negotiated down. Building an entire cost projection on a figure that was never the agreed contract price is deeply misleading.
 

The statement further claims that the VAT exemption “had to be dismissed towards the end of the first year” and then uses this to inflate the starting figure. This is directly contradicted by the grounds contractor themselves. In May 2025, Jim Richardson of SJK confirmed in writing:

• “I can confirm SJK are happy with the current arrangements and requests.”

• “The cost of the contract for Cheam cricket is 50% of the total and is Vat exempt as it is invoiced through SJK Maintenance.”

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This confirms three things: the contract remained VAT exempt as recently as last year; cricket’s share was 50% of the total – not the 60% later imposed by the Executive Officers; and SJK had no issues with the cricket section, contrary to repeated claims by the Executive Officers.

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Therefore the entire financial basis of the Executive Officers’ statement – the £40,000 starting figure, the projected annual increases, and the cost allocation – is built on figures that are inaccurate.

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Over £7,000 in Costs Remain Unexplained

At the mediation meeting on 27 January 2026, the Vice-Chairman confirmed that following negotiation, cricket’s actual share of the grounds contract would be approximately £28,800. Yet the figure demanded of cricket was £36,180 – over £7,000 more. The Surrey Cricket Foundation overseeing mediation talks identified this discrepancy in writing and stated:

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“This leaves £7,380 in essence unaccounted for as an additional cost. Without an explanation about this cost, it would be easy to draw the conclusion that it is the sports club’s intention to apply additional financial pressure to the cricket section in order to make it harder for them to continue operating.”

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The Surrey Cricket Foundation went on to state:

"As things stand we do not believe a fair offer has been tabled.”

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No explanation for this £7,380 has ever been provided. No other section faced an 85% rent increase. No other section was given eight non-negotiable deadlines in eight weeks.

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The Executive Officers Terminated Mediation

The statement claims the Executive Officers “tried the mediated meeting route.” The reality is very different.

The Surrey Cricket Foundation facilitated two mediation meetings. The second, on 27 January 2026, ended when the Executive Officers walked out of the room and demanded the Cricket Chairman’s resignation as a condition of their return. The SCF confirmed:

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“The meeting ended at the point where the Sports Club sought the resignation of the Cheam Cricket Club Chair and left the meeting room.”

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The SCF subsequently wrote to all sections to correct a claim by the Executive Officers that concerns about removal were “paranoia,” stating:

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“There is no paranoia at play here. As far back as May 2025 we have evidence in writing from members of the Executive Committee referencing discussions and conversations around motions to remove the cricket committee and the cricket section.”

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Therefore the mediator found that a fair financial offer was never made, that unexplained costs were added, and that the Sports Club terminated its own mediation process. The claim that “we have tried everything” is not supported by the facts.

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The Meeting with the Grounds Contractor

We have repeatedly stated that in light of so many aspects of this dispute being dependent on the grounds contract and given the clear conflict between written documents from the contractor and the Sports Club’s own rhetoric – the easiest and most constructive path to progress was a meeting between all parties, properly witnessed and documented for clarification.

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Even accepting the Executive Officers’ own characterisation that the agreement at the last Executive Committee meeting was simply for questions to be allowed, the subsequent denial of that agreement in an email – despite it being agreed by the Executive Officers themselves in a recorded meeting – is a clear impediment to progress and raises serious questions about good faith.

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This must also be seen alongside the fact that the initial rent demand of over £41,000, including grounds costs of circa £36,180, was admitted by the Executive Officers during the second mediation meeting as being knowingly based on a hypothetical maximum scenario – figures derived from the Sports Club asking the contractor “what is the maximum you would charge?” rather than reflecting any agreed or actual contract value. These inflated figures were nevertheless presented to the cricket section on a take-it-or-leave-it basis with no opportunity for discussion.

This leaves the entire process fundamentally short on trust and transparency. Regardless of these failures, the cricket section has consistently maintained that it will pay a fair and properly evidenced contribution and has never refused to pay its agreed rent.

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It should also be noted that the cricket section has been asking for the rent queries and allegations of cross-subsidy to be clarified with clear supporting documentation for nearly a year. Had the information we requested been provided when it was first asked for, these matters would never have dragged on to this late stage. The delay has not been caused by cricket failing to engage. It has been caused by a persistent refusal to provide the transparency we are entitled to.

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Cricket Is Not in Arrears

The statement by Cheam Sports Club claims the cricket club is “substantially in arrears.” This is incorrect. Cricket has paid its rent every year including during Covid when cricket was in a much reduced capacity. If there is a dispute about the current year’s figure, it is because that figure was an 85% hike and never properly agreed through the consultation process guaranteed under Section 13.2 of the Constitution – a process that has been denied to us.

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Accounts Were Provided

The statement claims cricket failed to supply accounts. The Executive Officers’ own statement confirms that accounts were provided in June 2025. The demand for further accounts is not a reason to suspend a section. No other section has been threatened with attempted dissolution over the timing of account submissions.

 

The Open Day

The statement claims cricket organised a junior Open Day “without consultation.” When we were informed of football fixtures on our original date of 12 April, we immediately moved the event to 19 April. That date was then also blocked. Every pre-season date we proposed – including junior registration, Groundforce Day and pre-season friendlies – was refused. The effect was to deny cricket any pre-season activity and prevent us from recruiting junior members for the coming season. A long-standing tradition is that cricket comes on site around Easter weekend to perform its Junior Open Day and prepare for pre-season friendlies. Unfortunately the Sports Club have impeded this and extended football fixtures to the end of April effectively changing cricket's longstanding season starting period without consultation or negotiation disregarding the impacts this has on the cricket club and its members.

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What We Actually Proposed

Cricket proposed a straightforward interim arrangement: that the 2026 season would operate under the same rent and access terms as 2025, while discussions about the grounds contract continued. This would have allowed the season to proceed, protected junior members, and given all parties time to reach a properly negotiated agreement. This proposal was supported by other sections and their members however the executive officers moved to dissolve the cricket section whilst this proposal and further discussion internally were ongoing.

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The Attempted Dissolution Places Cricket in an Impossible Position

Even if the underlying disputes were capable of rapid resolution – and the Executive Officers’ own conduct has ensured they are not – the attempted dissolution of the cricket section and the denial of access to the site places us in an impossible position.

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The cricket season customarily begins in approximately one month. Junior registrations, coaching arrangements, player planning, fixture commitments, pre-season training and recruitment events all require immediate action. Revenue streams that sustain the section – including subscriptions, match fees, junior programme income and external bookings – cannot be generated while the section is denied access to its own facilities. Obligations to leagues, governing bodies and opposition clubs cannot be fulfilled.

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The longer this situation continues, the greater the damage, not only to the cricket section’s ability to operate this season, but to the 200+ members, the majority of whom are children, who are being denied the sport they have every right to play. The financial loss, reputational fall out and permanent damage to the fabric of Cheam Cricket Club caused by this unilateral decision by the executive officers is monumental.

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Our Position

Cheam Cricket Club does not recognise the purported attempted dissolution as lawful or constitutional.

Beyond the financial matters set out above, there are several further serious issues that require proper investigation and action. These will, in due course, provide additional context to the events described in this statement. We will address these through the appropriate channels at the appropriate time.

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We have paid our way every year. We have engaged fully with every process put before us, including five months of mediation. We proposed a reasonable interim arrangement. We asked only for the right – guaranteed by the Club’s own Constitution – to understand and discuss the figures being demanded of us. We have been asking for clear documentation to support the rent figures and subsidy allegations for nearly a year. Had that information been provided when first requested, we would not be in this position today.

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The Executive Officers’ statement, for all its length, does not explain why over £7,000 in costs remains unaccounted for. It does not explain why the contractor’s own written confirmation that the contract was VAT exempt and split 50/50 was ignored in favour of inflated figures. It does not explain why they walked out of their own mediation. It does not explain why surprise proposals were made stripping cricket of its back pitch and outdoor nets. It does not explain the subsequent 85% rent hike and ultimatum. It does not explain how three individuals can dissolve a section without a vote of the Executive Committee or the membership. And it does not explain what happens to the 200+ members – the majority of whom are children – who are being told that their section no longer exists.

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We remain committed to resolving this constructively and will continue to pursue all appropriate channels to protect the interests of our members and the children and families who depend on cricket at Cheam.

 

Cheam Cricket Club Committee

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20 March 2026