CONCERNS have been raised about the council's relationship with a football coaching company after it emerged that the firm has been given use of a publicly owned sports pavilion rent-free for the last 10 years.

Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Bob Sullivan has demanded answers why the 'LA Raiders Soccer Academy' have been allowed free use of facilities at Marsh Lane in Leyton without a formal agreement or contract.

The company - which is wholly separate from the eponymous American Football team - is believed to have been awarded at least £240,000 in Government grants for community work in 2001, according to research by the Lammas Lands Defence Committee.

However they say it is not clear whether the money was spent or even handed over.

Cllr Sullivan said is unaware of the company carrying out any community work since the early 2000s and he was staggered that it had been allowed to use public facilities for free.

He said: “It raises the question of how much could have been made in rent which we have lost out on? The whole thing seems rather odd. The public deserve to know why this came about.

“And it is also unclear whether LA Raiders are still operating, yet apparently this agreement is still in place.”

A report by the Adult Learning Inspectorate, published in 2004 and available from Ofsted's website, appears to be the only publicly available document into the company's work.

It said that in 2004 there were 19 young men at LA Raiders being trained towards a national vocational qualification (NVQ) in coaching football. However the report concluded that the level of training was “inadequate” and “unsatisfactory”.

Inspectors said the organisation had "good access to indoor and outdoor playing facilities” and said its classrooms were “furnished with sufficient space, tables, chairs, white boards, a television and video" but said less than half of students achieved any qualifications.

A spokeswoman for the Lammas Lands Defence Committee said: “There is a covenant on the land which means the council cannot charge rent for the green space at Marsh Lane, but they've always got round that by charging for use of the pavilion.

"What seems strange is the LA Raiders were given use of it for nothing.”

Cllr Sullivan said he has raised the issues with the council's cabinet member for leisure, Cllr Geraldine Reardon, but said he is yet to receive an answer.

A council spokesman said: "The existing agreement allows the LA Raiders use of the pavilion in return for maintaining the site and providing soccer coaching for the community.

"We will be reviewing the management arrangements at the Marsh Lane sports facilities in light of our proposed improvements to the site."

The Guardian has been unable to contact anyone from LA Raiders for a comment.

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