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Post by dbbn on Sept 12, 2015 9:04:04 GMT
B & W Times article
COUNCIL bosses have been accused of “holding back” Braintree Town after refusing to publish a £14,000 report into a proposed new stadium six months after it was completed.
Club chairman Lee Harding (pictured) said Braintree Council has given him just two snippets of information from the secret study it has held since March.
Mr Harding believes consultants have overestimated the cost of a new stadium and has already found ways to save £1.6m with his own quotations.
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Patricia Newton, councillor responsible for planning and housing, said the council was under “no obligation” to disclose the study to third parties.
See this week's Braintree and Witham Times for the full story.
Whilst this may be true, I don't know what can be gained by going public on this. Yes we're all frustrated by the apparent lack of information and pace of events; but it is never good to publicise these matters when you need the council on your side - ask Mr Kleanthous at Barnet FC.
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layon
On the bench
Posts: 202
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Post by layon on Sept 12, 2015 10:04:42 GMT
I think you will find that the club has been for many years trying its best to work with the Council, and keep them onside.
Discussions have been going on for probably ten years, and now that it is getting close to crunch time the Council seem to be back tracking on many many previous expressions of support.
It gets to a point where, in my opinion, the club have to say it as it is.
It seems ridiculous that the club as the main interested party, cannot see the report into the feasibility of a new stadium.
Even if, as Patricia Newton claims, there is commercially sensitive information on the report, these items could be redacted in a copy provided to the club.
Also although she says that she is under 'no obligation' to disclose the report to third parties, this doesn't mean that she cant release it. So if she can - it begs the question why will she not do so - whats in it that she does not want in the public domain.
I think interested supporters should do what they can to put pressure on the Council to go through with all their previous statements about wanting to work with and support the club, and this must mean as a minimum that they let the club see what the report says.
Letters to the Council and more press coverage could help.
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Post by ironhorse on Sept 12, 2015 11:38:24 GMT
I also noticed that Wayne Gold is still trying to get the land developed he originally bought to include a new stadium back as early as 2004, the council pulled the plug on that one a) probably because there was nothing it for them and (b) a NIMBY protest which put the kibosh on the original plans, by now we would have been in a new stadium with excellent infrastructure and amenities at no cost to the council or taxpayers whatsoever, and all would have been good in the world of Iron football. Instead the council came up with some cockamamie scheme that put the stadium out of the way with rubbish infrastructure probably knowing full well that it would make it untenable for the club who would then have to sell the existing ground to finance the move. You have to ask why the council is now trying to avoid all issues with regard to a move by the Club and why they passed up on the opportunity in the first place. I might be a bit cynical about the whole debacle but this is typical local politics with councillors seemingly having their own agendas. I thought these people were elected to help their local communities and local businesses, what do I know!!! I will definitely be making comments in my column next week, whether my editor prints it is another matter but I am as frustrated as the Board of Braintree Town, in what on paper, seemed a win win for all initially and has now gone to hell in a handcart.
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Post by rustynail on Sept 12, 2015 18:59:21 GMT
So the councillors don't mind spending public money but they refuse to be accountable to the electorate but hey that's politicians for you!
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Post by ozbrit on Sept 13, 2015 14:06:40 GMT
I wonder whether the feasibilty report also considers the true financial benefits which a high status football club brings to the district.
There is the often hundreds of away supporters descending on match days, the boost to local business,in the pubs, restaurants and accommodation. The wives and families who travel in, not so interested in the football but then go to Freeport instead.
I can imagine that some Councillors particularly those with little interest in football or representing wards in the far flung corners of the district being negative over Council "considering spending ratepayers money" on a football club.
It falls I think to the club to perhaps do their own studies projecting the true value that Nation league football gives, The financial benefits I've already mentioned plus the way it promotes the town in the national media on an almost daily basis.
If the club are supported in a way that it can then press on to becoming a league club, the fiscal and social benefit would triple from where it is now.
There is more to this than meets the eye for councillors its not only a story about spending money on a football ground to benefit only those who are avid supporters.
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Post by braintreeo on Sept 14, 2015 21:47:14 GMT
As I have been saying for some time now, I see no hard evidence to suggest that this project will ever happen. A new ground is so far down the councils pecking order it may as well not be on there at all and they can make as many sound bites as they like the club is no nearer now to a new stadium than it was 10 years ago. Unfortunately like it or not there is little interest in the football club within Braintree and no appetite outside of the club and a few hundred diehards for a new stadium.
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Post by braintreeboy on Sept 15, 2015 6:59:57 GMT
As much as I'd love a new stadium which would undoubtedly help push us forward I fear Braintreo has it spot on  |
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layon
On the bench
Posts: 202
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Post by layon on Sept 15, 2015 9:13:46 GMT
The two posts by braintreeo and braintreeboy are so negative as to be depressing.
A successful football club could be and should be an active part of a local community. BTFC runs a thriving Academy providing training and education to many 16-18 year olds from Braintree. It is also working to develop a wider community involvement with the Community Iron initiative,( although at present there does not seem to be much activity on the Community Iron website). But this initiative in partnership with a number of local organisations can provide activities and interests for local children, older people and the disabled.
At the National League level the club gets a nationwide profile through the BBC, Sky and BT Sport for the town, and as ozbrit says above when we get visits from some of the big clubs in the league it does bring in extra business to Braintree. Both these benefits would significantly increase if we could get promoted.
Football is a major industry in this country and while we are tiny compared to the big boys in the business we are not irrelevant.
The Council has a responsibility to provide a dynamic and developing environment and community for the people of Braintree and a successful football club can contribute positively to this in many ways.
I am sure that it is not an easy sell but it is up to the club and supporters to get this message across to the Council and show that a mew stadium and a successful football club is not just for the benefit of a few hundred local football fans but will contribute positively to helping to make Braintree a better place to live in.
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Post by 4whatitsworth on Sept 15, 2015 10:57:50 GMT
Well said layon.
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Post by Iron Webbo on Sept 15, 2015 11:41:11 GMT
Spot on!
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Post by braintreeo on Sept 15, 2015 15:48:58 GMT
The two posts by braintreeo and braintreeboy are so negative as to be depressing. A successful football club could be and should be an active part of a local community. BTFC runs a thriving Academy providing training and education to many 16-18 year olds from Braintree. It is also working to develop a wider community involvement with the Community Iron initiative,( although at present there does not seem to be much activity on the Community Iron website). But this initiative in partnership with a number of local organisations can provide activities and interests for local children, older people and the disabled. At the National League level the club gets a nationwide profile through the BBC, Sky and BT Sport for the town, and as ozbrit says above when we get visits from some of the big clubs in the league it does bring in extra business to Braintree. Both these benefits would significantly increase if we could get promoted. Football is a major industry in this country and while we are tiny compared to the big boys in the business we are not irrelevant. The Council has a responsibility to provide a dynamic and developing environment and community for the people of Braintree and a successful football club can contribute positively to this in many ways. I am sure that it is not an easy sell but it is up to the club and supporters to get this message across to the Council and show that a mew stadium and a successful football club is not just for the benefit of a few hundred local football fans but will contribute positively to helping to make Braintree a better place to live in. Not decrying the club for one minute, I want them to do well and have huge admiration for the way the chairman goes about his business and why you may think I was negative as we stand at the moment it is largely factual, no progress in ten years not one meaningful step closer to a new ground. There is very little in this for the council and that's why sadly it won't get built. |
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layon
On the bench
Posts: 202
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Post by layon on Sept 15, 2015 19:23:41 GMT
As I said the Council does have a responsibility to provide a dynamic and developing environment and community for the people of Braintree. In fact there is a Council document called Braintree District Culture and Leisure Strategy, and the first page of the document contains the following statement:
“Arts, culture and sport build social capital, bring
people and communities together, develop
understanding and provide the bedrock of many
friendships and networks promoting community
cohesion”
What the club contributes to the community, and needs support to continue and increase its contribution, would help the Council to live up to these grand words, which are supposedly a key strategic objective for them.
Obviously the financial implications of any scheme have to be viable, but with the club on a prime site in the middle of Braintree, it should mean that a way can be found for the club to get its move with minimal impact on Council spending.
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Post by braintreeboy on Sept 16, 2015 4:46:13 GMT
My negativity simply stems from the silence of the council being so deafening! Certainly nothing to do with our club
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Post by Iron Webbo on Sept 16, 2015 17:11:25 GMT
To be fair to Braintree District Council (BDC), they have helped the Club in the past. The low-interest loan to the Club in 2011 (to pay for the further necessary ground improvements) was pivotal in our decision to accept promotion to the then Conference National.
What we now find slightly confusing is that we were told (when initiated) that the budgeted cost to BDC (£75,000) of the feasibility study was to be re-paid from the sale proceeds of our stadium site if and when we moved.
So, at this time, we seem to be in a position where the feasibility study to be paid for by the Football Club, about the possible relocation of the Football Club, cannot be released to the Football Club.
And, to be honest, we don't understand why.
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layon
On the bench
Posts: 202
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Post by layon on Sept 17, 2015 10:59:43 GMT
See letters page in Braintree & Witham Times
Also does anyone understand how the budgeted cost of the feasibility study could be set at £75000 (see Iron Webbo's post) and it actually cost £14000, as per the original article in the B&W Times. Good purchasing by the Council or terrible budgeting?
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Post by Iron Webbo on Sept 18, 2015 11:30:42 GMT
Excellent letter Mr L. It will be interesting to see if generates a response.
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