LDC WILL NOT APPEAL - a cynical view

[TSB]

Ok, whilst celebrating yesterday i had a thought:

It was fairly obvious that Lewes Lib Dems would not appeal for a few reasons:

They are scared by the gains other parties made at the last local election.
They have finally faced up to the knowledge that they will not win.

However, after all their effort to block & delay, maybe there is another reason too:

They know that somebody else will appeal & have the financial clout to delay it for at least 6 months...
This way, they get what they want, without appearing to have anything to do with it!

Would assurances from the Cuttress's that they would appeal have made LDC's decision for them?

I'd like to be over the moon and think 'we're almost there', but i have this nagging suspicion that Baker & LDC will come out of this and say 'well, we were prepared to work with the football club' , having known full-well that they would be getting their own way without getting their hands dirty!

Still 35 days...

 

[DTES]

I know what you mean, I'm always going to be cynical about LDC. However, don't forget that last time FPC appealed, they wrote to LDC asking (begging?) for support, both financially and in terms of planning authority etc. I can't see why they would completely change their minds and want to go alone now.

 

[The Large One]

A couple of points...

First, they have to find someone who is prepared to give away - with no return - around £200,000. Secondly, LDC is the planning authority. If they officially accepted the decision (albeit begrudgingly), then whoever is putting up the money won't have the same clout in the High Court as a planning authority would. It would just be seen as a vexacious challenge.

I think that's what you're asking anyway.

 

[Jim D]

It depends how committed the Falmer residents are. There's some money there and if they really wanted to they could easily raise £500K as a fighting fund.

On the other hand the lower cost option could be to just sell-up and move elsewhere. I'm sure that prices would holdup for a year or so.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Why would th house prices be affected at all. It a f***ing NONSENSE. The stadium is the other side of the bloody motorway!

 

[Barrel of Fun]

I will not celebrate until Falmer Parish Council concede. There are all sorts of ways that they can pull together the funding.

They can get funds from all sorts of places for this sort of thing principally the local council via the Precept (rates). LDC will probably find all sorts of ways of handing Falmer funds to help them via the local authority grant system.

I am not sure they are allowed to use private funding are they? Otheriwse there is the real danger of returning to the 'bought vote' electoral system.

 

[London Calling]

also remember ....
have they actually agreed to a detailed planning application for the coach park?

Whilst Planning Applications should be determined within 8 weeks, large or compllicated cases do take longer...............................

 

[Easy 10]

LDC will probably find all sorts of ways of handing Falmer funds to help them via the local authority grant system.

I think not !
If LDC, having declared they will not be appealing the decision, were then subsequently seen to be funding an appeal by FPC on the sly, the fertilizer would well and truley hit the wind turbine.

As far as I see it, without the backing of the local planning authority, any appeal against a (twice granted) decision by the Government is absolutely dead in the water.

 

[Seagull73]

I will not celebrate until Falmer Parish Council concede. There are all sorts of ways that they can pull together the funding.

They can get funds from all sorts of places for this sort of thing principally the local council via the Precept (rates). LDC will probably find all sorts of ways of handing Falmer funds to help them via the local authority grant system.

I am not sure they are allowed to use private funding are they? Otheriwse there is the real danger of returning to the 'bought vote' electoral system.

I think the piece about not celebrating is ok, but without the planning authority to back them up, FPC and SDS will really struggle to get a case heard.

I simply don't think that LDC will do anything 'by the back door' in terms of funding, not even they are that stupid.

 

[Lawro's Lip]

LDC being the only planning Authority involved seems to be crucial. But like everyone else I won't believe we are all set until the time limit has passed and there have been no objections.

Up to now it's looking good though.

 

[sparkie]

It depends how committed the Falmer residents are. There's some money there and if they really wanted to they could easily raise £500K as a fighting fund.

On the other hand the lower cost option could be to just sell-up and move elsewhere. I'm sure that prices would holdup for a year or so.

I agree. The wealthy residents of Falmer didn't get wealthy by spending their money.

If any resident has a lot of spare cash, and is unhappy about the stadium, then a better way to spend that cash would be to move and invest it in another property rather than fund an ultimately pointless appeal and wave goodbye to their coins.

They are prepared to spend other peoples money but when it comes to their own I'm not so sure...

 

[Rangdo]

Why would th house prices be affected at all. It a f***ing NONSENSE. The stadium is the other side of the bloody motorway!

Depending which half of the village you live in. If you are in the side with the pond then you are on the same side of the A27.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Obviously.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

I agree. The wealthy residents of Falmer didn't get wealthy by spending their money.

If any resident has a lot of spare cash, and is unhappy about the stadium, then a better way to spend that cash would be to move and invest it in another property rather than fund an ultimately pointless appeal and wave goodbye to their coins.

As, indeed, Eric Huxham, former Chairman of Falmer Parish Council, has already done.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Lord B have the rules changed regarding funding Parish Councils? I am led to believe that private finance was not an option.

 

[sparkie]

The flint walled old rectory is for sale in Falmer for 1.95 million.

Looks nice.

I can't afford it.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

Nnot to undermine all the superb work that has been done but I will only believe the stadium is built when I am in my seats 10 minutes before the kick off of the first game and not before.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Lord B have the rules changed regarding funding Parish Councils? I am led to believe that private finance was not an option.

The Parish Council's income is predominantly through the Precept, which is set by the Parish Council itself each February (for the following year, April - March) and collected from local residents by the District Council, as part of the council tax. The precept is paid to the Parish Council by the District Council in two instalments, the first being due on 1 April and the second on 1 October (I think).

Falmer Parish Council's precept was worth £20,000 to them in 2005/06, £7,500 in 2006/07 and £5,000 in £2007/08.

They will no doubt have some funds in reserve as well, but the above figures suggest that they have not been accumulating a huge reserve, capable of being the only source of funds to pay single-handedly for an appeal.

Parish Councils can enter into partnership working with other organisations and that can generate other income. I seem to recall that the funding put into the last Appeal by the South Downs Society was channeled through Falmer Parish Council (as were some other donations, including one from Rottingdean Parish Council). But, irrespective of where the money comes from, it is still subject to audit, through the District Audit service.

Any "private" funding of an Appeal would be more likely to come via an organisation like the South Downs Society, in my opinion.

 

[Seagullible]

Without the full backing of the local planning authority -(LDC) they will have very little clout

 

[Albion Dan]

I cant see anybody at FPC funding an appeal for vast sums of cash that is doomed to fail yet again. Not even they are that daft.

Like others though, Ill not celebrate properly until the stadium is well on the way to being built, Ill feel much more comfortable when we see how the development is being funded.