The Lauries Community Centre in Claughton Road, Birkenhead, was built in 2003 using millions of pounds of tax-payers money secured from European Union and UK Government regeneration funds. It was a community-led project designed to provide much-needed community space in what is one of the most socially and economically deprived wards in England.

A company limited by guarantee, The Lauries Limited, was incorporated to run the centre, with public accountability assured by the inclusion as directors of two elected Ward Councillors. This company has members who elect between 5 and 11 directors at each annual general meeting to run the centre, which is leased from Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council for a peppercorn rent.

However, on 31 May 2015, all of the existing directors resigned and were replaced by two private business people who are not publicly accountable. Local residents were concerned to find recently that the building is no longer open to the public and it appears that The Lauries Limited is not being operated in accordance with its own articles of association - not least because there are now only two directors rather than the minimum of five.

This campaign seeks to re-establish public accountability for the running of this much-needed community centre in what is one of the most deprived parts of England and to restore control of the appointment of directors of The Lauries Limited to members of the company.

We are likely to encounter resolute resistance from the two directors of the company and need to establish a fighting fund to pay the substantial anticipated legal costs that we are likely to incur in wrestling control away from the current directors and bringing the company and the community centre back into democratic community control.