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Latics stadium land swap deal approved
Reporter: BEATRIZ AYALA
Date online: 26 August 2010
OLDHAM Athletic’s dream of a new £20 million stadium in Failsworth moved a step closer reality after a proposed land swap was approved yesterday.
The site for Latics’ planned 12,000-seater stadium off Broadway includes land at Failsworth Lower Memorial Park which belongs to a charitable trust.
Campaigners have argued that it was a gift from the Failsworth War Memorial Committee in memory of the 240 local people who died during the First World War and should not be developed.
However, members of the Failsworth trust committee, a council cabinet sub-committee, yesterday agreed to potentially free the 11.75 acre site, valued at £60,000, from its charitable trust status.
They also agreed to transfer that status to two other sites — 12.61 acres of land at Warwick Road, valued at £100,000, and 13.1 acres at Vale Lane/Medlock Vale, valued at £72,000.
The status would restrict the council from granting leases of more than seven years, thereby limiting opportunities to sell off each site.
The committee, made up of councillors Mohammed Masud, Jack Hulme and Kay Knox, will now send an application to the Charity Commission which will consider whether to approve the transfer.
At yesterday’s 40-minute meeting — during which Councillor Knox left after declaring an interest as she had taken part in a cabinet meeting on the subject earlier this year — concerns were raised by Failsworth residents and councillors about whether the committee’s actions would stand up to scrutiny.
Labour leader and Failsworth East councillor Jim McMahon said all three committee members had been on cabinets that previously approved Latics’ stadium development.
He said there was no local representative on the committee, claimed the report was written in a biased way, and urged members to visit the sites before making a decision.
Failsworth West councillor Glenys Butterworth said the council was not acting with transparency and openness, and said Failsworth residents felt it was acting with undue haste.
However, committee chairman councillor Masud said: “The decision made tonight is going to be transparent, impartial and independent.
“You can’t make 100 per cent of people happy. They were consulted.”
He said it would be in the best interest of the charitable trust to proceed with the exchange as the swapped areas of land were better sites and greater in net value. Speaking after the meeting, Councillor McMahon branded the decision a whitewash and said: “For me, this isn’t about a stadium proposal, this is about how the council should be acting.
“The thing that is incensing people is that memorial land has been treated with disrespect.”
Councillor Butterworth said: “The decision was made by two trust committee members who haven’t visited the site. This leaves it all totally open to challenge. Where is the transparency?”
Peter Batty, head of the Failsworth Residents Action Group (FRAG) who are opposing development, said: “Now they’ve made a decision to swap, they’ve got to go to the Charity Commission and explain the process and consultation.”
Elaine McLean, Oldham Council’s executive director for economy, places and skills, said: “The sub-committee members considered that this was the most effective way of achieving the continuing purpose of providing public recreational facilities in Failsworth — while also protecting and enhancing the value of the trust’s assets.”
Comments
How can you treat land with disrespect? My family (from Oldham) fought in both World Wars. This land offers no memorial to their efforts other than by name. My dad would would have been really pleased to see Latics and the community improve due to this development. The Failsworth Action group are just representing themselves and nobody else. I have stood at the war memorial on 11/11 in Failsworth and since its rennovation is a good place to stop and remember those who gave their all.
Does anybody know the name of this charitable trust?
I have just checked the Charity Commission records.
There are only two charitable trusts registered with the word "Failsworth" in them, one is a church and one is Rotary.
The land is currently a glorified dog toilet, the people of Failsworth who cherish it should be ashamed. It would be nice if OMBC set up a more fitting tribute on one of these new sites.
Do we think these brave men who died would want all this NIMBY moaning? They'd probably be cheering the lads on in the new stadium!
Well said AC if the land exchange is agreed then more Failsworth people will have access to Trust land that would be properly registered and it would be spread across the area surely this would be a better tribute. If our Councillors were really against this then they would come out strongly against Latics and stop pussy footing around and posturing
Another small step on a very long journey! However, at least it's another piece of good news for a change.
AC & Arthur D, your comments are spot on and I couldn't have put it better myself! Thank you!
"lets make it look like we're caring and trying to do something about this" when really its going to go through!
it worrys me that the people who are running this town will go to such lengths to get things passed.
even with so much opposition
its the sort of story you see in films!
we just need a superhero to come and save the day from these villians!
£60,000 for a site that is near major roads, railway lines, etc., while a site that is basically enclosed is worth £100,000 - Who decided the value? - It wasn't "We buy your house.com" was it?
Is it a bid?
Is it a plane?
No, it's fedupoldhamerman!
i may not agree with AC's comments on (runaway rabar held ) but you are correct with this one
Its simple really. We don't want Oldham Athletic in failsworth, doesnt matter where it would be in failsworth. Cant understand why they cant redevelop Boundry Park. Blackpool did it
To be honest FAILSWORTH MAN, a good number of us dont want to be anywhere near Fake Manc Land. You lot down there would rather glory hunt over Utd or the now prostitued other team(CITEEHH).
Masud: "You can't make 100% of the people happy. They were consulted." Indeed they were! The results of that consultation were recorded in a report prepared by Elaine McLean in July 2010: "A total of 66 responses were received. Of the responses, 58 suggested that the charity should retain the existing land.." How much clearer could the results have been! A whopping 89% of those who bothered to go along and vote didn't want the land swap to go ahead. Another futile exercise for Joe Public.
Totally unnecessary JMTS.
People are entitled to their opinion.
The only reason why the people in Failsworth are moaning about this stadium is because they are all wan a be Mancs and they do want anything related to Oldham there.
Lots of comments from people who either don't live near Failsworth or don't remember what happened when OMBC & Latics tried the same thing on Clayton Playing fields. NOT ONCE, TWICE.1990 & again in 2000 both times they barged there way through, both times they came unstuck when the decisions were made by saner organisations, the Gov't & the Court & the Charity Commission. Any bets it'll be any different this time. Wonder who they'll try it with in 2020?
If entrusting land is something the council approve of (even though they have ignored that this land was in fact a trust since 1924)and,if in fact, it is so easy, why don't they just entrust all the Oldham land in their "care". What difference would it make? would it make it safer from being sold , leased or even swapped again? Not really, after all, the "trustees" are the councillors themselves who do what the Officers tell them(would you trust one of these with a peice of land near you?)
Oh dear, it would appear that old Mancunian lacks a sense of humour.
Well ROYTON BLUE, born in Manchester. Lived all my life in failsworth. Been a United fan all my life. Most of my friends are either City or United and! got to matches. None of us what you here. Surly there is some other bit green land in oldham you can build on
its ok Old_Mancunian! jtms constantly shows he's cut from the same cloth as the ones i slate on here!
i make stand against corruption, all they can do is call names. it oozes councillor or polititian!
JMTS I don't lack a sense of humour. This particular issue is too important to be flippant. On one hand there is the survival of Latics which to be fair, is important. On the other hand is the democratic process, honesty and integrity. The Labour group lost all moral integrity with Clayton & Latics. Are the Libs/Tories going to do the same with Failsworth & Latics.
Personally I would wish no harm on Latics but honesty and integrity are far more important....
The problem is the political process which is untrustworthy, unrepresentative, devious and duplicitous. I make the clear caveat that individual politicians may well be honest but they still have to submit to the whips.
Old_Mancunian is against Latics altogether, he was against the re-development of Boundary Park and also against the proposed moved to Failsworth
Latics moving to Failsworth means they have a Manchester postcode. Maybe we should change our name to Manchester Athletic. It does not make sense - why not stay put and re-develop our historical site??
Nearly right Chaddyender. If they did things properly I wouldn't have anything to complain about.
I objected to the BP plan becuase it included a slice of Clayton which they don't own. I'm happy for them to redevelop BP, but not with taxpayers money or with Trust land.
They tried to pinch the public plastic pitch when they got Chaple Road, and now they want the Memorial Land for nothing.
So Chaddyender, I have ethics, and I don't believe in theft, can you say the same?
Failsworth Man.....not sure how to break this to you, but this site is within the boundaries of OLDHAM (I repeat Oldham) and you as a resident of Failsworth living within the boundaries of Oldham presumably pay your council tax to Oldham MBC, not Manchester! So the residents of Oldham are quite within their rights to say that you, as a displaced Manc, is not welcome in Oldham (which incorporates Failsworth). However, should you find this offensive, you can always move back over the border!!!
Have Your Say
Local Democracy ? Public Accountability? I think not - what a way to run a charitable trust - and a council !
By Red Delpher @ 26/08/2010 12:16:12