The more they get, the better. The subject of lobbying came up at yesterdays meeting so councillors are taking this seriously. Just need to be polite, stick to the facts and show enthusiasm for the whole project.
I was firm but polite like yourself we all want this flying get over the finishing line. Would have thought it would have gone through yesterday, then objections and such would be heard and while these are being looked at the club could have carried on with a getting things ready to be present at the next meeting
I hope you didn't refer to John Hill as a muppet
Whoever leaked that letter put a stop to it going though on the nod.
Yes but wasn't that letter sent to the local sports clubs etc? It's not like a leaked secret file or something, it was actually sent to members of the public.
The leaked version was not addressed or signed. It was a blank formatted letter.
Oh ok, who was it too then? Just the councillors?
Wasn't sent to anyone. It looked like a blank format waiting to be addressed. Typical multiple mail out type.
That's not true. The letter had been circulated to local sports clubs and was being widely discussed (here, Twitter etc) before a copy of the letter was shown. Information of that kind was never going to be kept quiet and the club were already planning to present the same information anyway.
Completely agree. If the arguments had been about environmental damage, or sweeping numbers of local residents being against this then I'd have a few concerns. Mr Hill is doing his thing, we'll do ours.
The clubs own timeline only has a planning application to be submitted 16 months from now, in May 2023, so they were almost certainly expecting the deferral yesterday.
The leaked document may have looked that way, but the exact same letter was sent out to numerous people and was being openly discussed ahead of the "leak". This had absolutely no bearing on yesterday's decision.
That does seem somewhat sneaky to try and hide it as "proposal to lease land" although I guess the restriction on detail meant this was justified /required. Even if the letter hadn't been leaked, surely at the meeting there would still have been the delays for a reasonable period (the 4 weeks) for stakeholders to have their say. Or is it possible it could have been pushed through?
I would have to counter that by repeating what I posted earlier. The Cabinet agenda, originally, had no mention of OUFC. This was an item simply about a prospective leasing of council land. Following the leak of the letter or, as you put it, "circulated to local sports clubs and was being widely discussed" all mention of OUFC, stadium etc. was deemed "commercially sensitive" and exempted from public viewing.
The application was to enter into negotiations, nothing more. It was recommended by Steve Jorden Corporate director, commercial assets and investments OCC. No decision on actually leasing the land to OUFC was to be made.
Sent by email?
Good thinking, my bad!
