First stadium meeting lasts two minutes

A COMMITTEE that will hold a huge bearing on whether Latics’ £20 million stadium plans go ahead held its first meeting — which lasted two minutes.

The Failsworth Trust Committee has been set up to decide what to do with charitable trust land at Failsworth Lower Memorial Park, a key part of the controversial plans for Oldham Athletic’s new 12,000-seater stadium.

Oldham Council has obtained a ruling from the Charity Commission that the land, north of the Lancaster Club on Broadway and part of the proposed 30 acre stadium site, is a trust.

Campaigners are against developing the land, saying it was gifted by the Failsworth War Memorial Committee to be used for recreational purposes in memory of the 240 people who lost their lives in the First World War.

The new group, which is a Cabinet sub-committee, will make decisions about what is in the best interests of the land. It could decide to retain charitable status on the land or proceed towards a land exchange.

But little happened at its first meeting on Friday after its two members decided they needed advice on a question from a member of the public and a report on the potential land swop.

A third member, Councillor Kay Knox, withdrew from the committee saying she had been advised by counsel that as she was present at a cabinet meeting in March she should declare an interest.

Councillor Mohammed Masud was named chairman, with Councillor Jack Hulme the other committee member.

The question and report will now be considered at a meeting on August 25.

After the meeting, Failsworth Councillor Jim McMahon repeatedly asked if elected members and interested members of the public could give evidence but was told by Councillor Masud his question would have to be submitted by e-mail.

Six potential replacement sites have been identified: at the rear of 27-81 Alder Road; Mabel Road/Limeditch Road; Jericho Clough in Medlock Road; Vale Lane in Medlock Vale; Somerset Road/Coronation Road and Warwick Road/Leicester Road.

The report states that 66 responses were received from consultation of which 58 suggested the charity should retain the existing land. Of the responses, 28 people stated how often they used the land with most using it for dog walking.

The report says many of the responses referred to the proposed redevelopment of the site and may want to retain the current location as a way of objecting to the stadium plans. During consultation the public identified Warwick Road as better suited for recreational purposes.

The report gives a preferred option of Vale Lane in Medlock Vale and Warwick Road/Leicester Road for the land swop.

The land at Medlock Vale is on the periphery of Woodhouses village, well used by the public and with a car park.

The Warwick Road site was acquired by the council in 1968 and used to be a football pitch and small golf course but maintenance has reduced in recent years and it’s now used for informal recreation only.

Four independent members of the Standards or Audit Committee have also looked into the matter and say it is in the best interests of the trust for the existing land to be freed from charitable status and the recreational trust status transferred to the two sites.

They said it was the most effect way of providing public recreational facilities in Failsworth and protecting and enhancing the value of the trust assets.

A surveyor’s report valued the 11.75 acres of land to the North of the Lancaster Club at £60,000, the 13 acres of land at Medlock Vale at £72,000 and the 12.61 acres of land at Warwick Road at £100,000 - giving the charity an increase in value of £112,000.