City Council back Falmer

[cjd]

Unfortunately it's been necessary for the press to be advised that, for some reason, the council have removed the original transport documents from their website.

I wonder if they'll ask some questions.

Shouldn,t that stupid bint reporter from Meridian be informed and ask Norman Baker for his comments on page 52 of the report...?
After all, he does like to expose this sort of thing....doesn,t he...?

 

[mona]

But the author of Rotten Boroughs has always criticised Brighton & Hove ("Skidrow-on-Sea"). I don't think he's ever going to side with them on Falmer.

Yes. Private Eye is staunchly pro-nimby on the stadium issue. No doubt one of the contributors has a second home near Falmer.

 

[BensGrandad]

Yes. Private Eye is staunchly pro-nimby on the stadium issue. No doubt one of the contributors has a second home near Falmer.

Thought I read that one of their reporters/sub editors lives in Woodingdean.

I may be wrong

 

[Yorkie]

Thought I read that one of their reporters/sub editors lives in Woodingdean.

I may be wrong

That may work in our favour. Woodingdean will suffer from the stadium being at Sheepcote.

 

[BensGrandad]

I think it is 50/50 at the Down Junction would there be more of hold up with traffic coming from Lewes to turn right to Sheepcote or more conjested with traffic coming from Rottingdean to Falmer.

Possibly 60/40 towards Sheepcote.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Today's Argus is running the story ...

Council accused over 'dodgy dossier'
By Simon Barrett

Council officials have been accused of "sexing up" a dossier on alternatives to Falmer as a location for Brighton and Hove Albion's new home.

Campaigners backing the stadium say documents inadvertently published on Lewes District Council's website reveal how the council are trying to mask a flaws in their argument that the ground should be in Sheepcote Valley instead.

The deadline for written representations to be made to the Government, which is reconsidering Albion's application to build the 22,000 seat facility, passed last Thursday.

Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly had asked for more information about Sheepcote Valley, which Lewes District Council is presenting as a better option for a stadium despite the club arguing that transport concerns make it unworkable.

Lewes council received a draft report from transport consultants on February 6 which suggested a stadium at Sheepcote would cause traffic at the Warren Road and Wilson Avenue junction to grind to a halt on matchdays, effectively cutting Woodingdean off from the city centre.

The council published the document on its official website but inadvertently included comments made by council officers suggesting changes to be made to the report before it was finalised.

It includes instructions, in capital letters, which read: "In your summary make sure that you say this is very good compared to most stadia in urban areas and that there will be no problems."

Another section of the report reads: "Paragraphs 22 and 23 do not appear to quite tie in with the main report at 8.4.3. There you suggest no problems at all except for the one junction and that can be mitigated. Can you make these paragraphs more positive?"

Paul Samrah, leader of the Seagulls Party, which will contest Lewes district seats in the upcoming local elections, said: "We have always known that a stadium at Sheepcote Valley would lead to completely unacceptable traffic congestion on Brighton's roads.

"Lewes council's own consultants have now confirmed this but the comments left on the report reveal how they are trying to sidestep this fatal flaw in their case.

"They are effectively using smoke and mirrors to mislead people which is typical of the underhand way the council has treated supporters of the Falmer stadium for years."

Albion chief executive Martin Perry said: "This is the council's second traffic consultation and shows how difficult it has been for them to bolster their already discredited case over Sheepcote.

"It is quite clear that in their desperate attempt to scupper the stadium, the council have been telling their traffic consultants how to make their case. This shows just how weak their position is and what a waste of taxpayers' money the objection has been."

The council has removed the comments from the website.

A spokeswoman said: "The Seagulls Party references to working documents that were temporarily on our website is a non-event. All the way through the preparation of our case we have been consistent in our approach to the transportation issues."

The original decision to grant permission, made by John Prescott in October 2005, was quashed in the High Court after it was revealed he had made a mistake in the wording of the document.

 

[Screaming J]

Thought I read that one of their reporters/sub editors lives in Woodingdean.

I may be wrong

The bloke who does 'Rotten Boroughs' was (don't know whether it still is) someone called Tim Minogue. I believe at the time P. Eye first reported on the Falmer stadium plans he lived in Lewes and was - reportedly - an 'anti'.

 

[Jim in the West]

Surelu someone within LDC (presumably one of the more lowly officers?) will get the sack for this? It really is an amazing faux pas.

 

[The Clown of Pevensey Bay]

Today's Argus is running the story ...

A [Lewes district council] spokeswoman said: "The Seagulls Party references to working documents that were temporarily on our website is a non-event. All the way through the preparation of our case we have been consistent in our approach to the transportation issues."

That's a pretty crap defence, really, isn't it? It's the equivalent of Alastair Campbell having a tantrum and saying "It's all bollocks".

 

[DIFFBROOK]

I know its mischievious, but cant we send LDCs working copy evidence to Ruth Kelly. Obviously pointing out the flaws.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

I know its mischievious, but cant we send LDCs working copy evidence to Ruth Kelly. Obviously pointing out the flaws.

A nice idea, but - as you say - mischievous.

Just in case anyone thinks of doing anything like that, the advice I'm getting is that - at this stage - we should leave the making of representations about LDC's evidence to the interested parties who will be asked officially to comment on it.

To do otherwise will only complicate the process and lengthen the time it takes to get a decision. The last thing we want is a re-opened Public Inquiry, prompted by the fact that new parties have appeared on the scene, commenting about the LDC evidence.


so ... NO

I'm sure the Football Club and the City Council can be trusted to say the right things.

 

[Curious Orange]

A nice idea, but - as you say - mischievous.

Just in case anyone thinks of doing anything like that, the advice I'm getting is that - at this stage - we should leave the making of representations about LDC's evidence to the interested parties who will be asked officially to comment on it.

To do otherwise will only complicate the process and lengthen the time it takes to get a decision. The last thing we want is a re-opened Public Inquiry, prompted by the fact that new parties have appeared on the scene, commenting about the LDC evidence.


so ... NO

I'm sure the Football Club and the City Council can be trusted to say the right things.

Do we know for sure that LDC haven't sent it to Ruth Kelly themselves? I mean if they're dumb enough to put it up on their own website...

I'm sure Ruth Kelly's department will be aware of the press coverage of the faux pas in any case, so they won't need further prompting from us. Let us stick with the postcards for now shall we.

 

[Tooting Gull]

That's a pretty crap defence, really, isn't it? It's the equivalent of Alastair Campbell having a tantrum and saying "It's all bollocks".

Indeed. I think the phrase 'bang to rights' springs to mind.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

A nice idea, but - as you say - mischievous.

Just in case anyone thinks of doing anything like that, the advice I'm getting is that - at this stage - we should leave the making of representations about LDC's evidence to the interested parties who will be asked officially to comment on it.

To do otherwise will only complicate the process and lengthen the time it takes to get a decision. The last thing we want is a re-opened Public Inquiry, prompted by the fact that new parties have appeared on the scene, commenting about the LDC evidence.


so ... NO

I'm sure the Football Club and the City Council can be trusted to say the right things.

I fully understand these comments, however do hope the Labour MPs in Brighton / Hove are all well aware of what LDC have done here and make sure that Ms Kelly 1s as well.

 

[Curious Orange]

Nice to hear Lord B on the phone in last night.

Have you had a chance to fully digest the dodgy dossier yet then Ed?

 

[BensGrandad]

I would think that it is a fair bet that at some stage Ruth Kelly will be talking to her fellow party MPs and the faux pas wil be mentioned not officially of course but in general conversation and passing.

 

[The Large One]

A spokeswoman said: "The Seagulls Party references to working documents that were temporarily on our website is a non-event. All the way through the preparation of our case we have been consistent in our approach to the transportation issues."

If this was the film 'All The President's Men', that was what they would call a 'non-denial denial'.

 

[Caveman]

I would think that it is a fair bet that at some stage Ruth Kelly will be talking to her fellow party MPs and the faux pas wil be mentioned not officially of course but in general conversation and passing.

She has probably already been informed i'd guess. I'd imagine LDC will be trying to contact her.

"Hello is that Ruth? ermmm nice day today isn't it ermmm.
We have a slight problem ermmm our YTS secretary has only gone
and left the f**king bloody comments in the f**king stupied ****
b****rd sh**ting a*se."....dial tone......

 

[Buzzer]

I would think that it is a fair bet that at some stage Ruth Kelly will be talking to her fellow party MPs and the faux pas wil be mentioned not officially of course but in general conversation and passing.

and I've just emailed Des Turner with the link to the Seagulls Party press release just in case he's missed this gem!

Let's hope he can bend Ruth Kelly's ear.