balloonboy
aka Jim in the West
I'm trying to get as many letters to Don Foster (Lib Dem spokesman for Culture, Media & Sport) as poss. I have a few friends in Bath, but I need more! Does any one on NSC live in Bath, or know anyone who lives there?
If so, how about writing pronto? For interest
I've included the text of my letter to DF below:
Dear Mr Foster,
Early Day Motion 889
Please will you consider supporting Early Day Motion 889 – in favour of a community stadium next to Falmer railway station, as proposed by Brighton & Hove Albion FC? The stadium was supported by 68 per cent of voters in a referendum across the city (44,985 people) and 61,000 signed a petition in favour, including people in every single postal area of mainland Britain.
Without this exciting stadium, a 103-year-old community asset would undoubtedly die and a huge region would be unrepresented in the national sport. The stadium will help regenerate one of the poorest council wards in the South East, creating many hundreds of jobs. It is based on Brighton & Hove Albion’s pioneering Green Transport Plan, contributing to a sustainable environment by including vouchers for train and bus travel with every match ticket. The application is fully supported by Brighton & Hove Liberal Democrats (see below), and must also be seen as part of a much wider initiative to provide sporting facilities to the children of Sussex. Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club is now the city council’s largest partner in the delivery of social and economic programmes. It deserves the opportunity to expand on them rather than seeing them curtailed or destroyed because of a lack of facilities.
The club’s Football in the Community programme is all-embracing and benefits over 3,000 children and young people each year. It sends over 40 coaches into schools, arranges events for over 1,000 young supporters, organises teams for children with special needs, assists in crime-reduction projects in East Brighton, runs a successful women and girls’ football club, and has many other “strings to its bow”.
Of course a stadium will also inspire the city’s young sportsmen and sportswomen, encourage health and well-being, and provide a source of civic pride.
I have set out the text of EDM 889 below:
That this House congratulates Brighton and Hove Albion FC on its success since returning to Brighton in 1999; further congratulates the Club for its hard work in partnership with the local authority and elected representatives to develop a community stadium at Falmer; believes that the only suitable site for a community stadium is at Falmer; welcomes the economic and socio-economic benefits that will accrue to the Club, the community of Brighton and Hove and the local authority, directly through increased tourism, educational opportunities, skills-training and employment, which will also be beneficial for the country; further recognises that the development will complement national Government objectives, by incorporating sustainable transport strategies and will promote social inclusion by providing a focus from which to build community programmes; welcomes the Club's vision of building on its existing community links and expanding its successful Football in the Community programme within the new facility; believes that the community and wider benefits of the proposed stadium at Falmer far outweigh any neglible impact on the Sussex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty; recognises the evidence given by national organisations during the public inquiry demonstrating that the stadium is in the national interest; acknowledges the overwhelming public support for the plans at every stage of consultation; and commends the Falmer site proposal to the Deputy Prime Minister.
Many thanks in advance,
Yours sincerely,
XXXXX
Text of announcement by Paul Elgood, from Brighton & Hove Liberal Democrats web site:
The City Council's Liberal Democrat Group Leader has written to the Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott urging him to support the Albion's dream of a stadium at Falmer.
In a letter to John Prescott, Councillor Paul Elgood, added his voice to many thousands of supporters for the stadium.
Paul said:
"I have supported Falmer at each stage of the planning process and have done so again by writing to John Prescott. Not all of my party's colleagues from elsewhere agree with me, but I strongly believe that a community stadium is in the best interest of the city and this is the only site available to deliver it on."
"There is no other site on the table and there is no other option open. This is the best way to keep the Albion operational and succeeding."
"John Prescott has the power rule in favour of Falmer, and I hope he turns the Albion's dream into a reality."
In the letter to John Prescott, Paul writes:
"If the application is granted there will be enormous benefit for the city and surrounding region in terms of jobs, leisure and community facilities, sporting provision and continued support for Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club."
"The application has gone through a robust and exhaustive process. I can say this from the position of leading an opposition political party in the city, which includes members from outside of the city who are sceptical of the plan. The outcome of the democratic planning process should now be honoured by you."
"The council has undertaken a thorough search for alternative sites for such a stadium. This has proved to be negative and the Albion is left with only one choice for survival. Indeed, the significance of the Albion to this part of the region is huge - you have to go to Portsmouth, Crystal Palace or Gillingham to find clubs of similar size and prominence."
If so, how about writing pronto? For interest
I've included the text of my letter to DF below:Dear Mr Foster,
Early Day Motion 889
Please will you consider supporting Early Day Motion 889 – in favour of a community stadium next to Falmer railway station, as proposed by Brighton & Hove Albion FC? The stadium was supported by 68 per cent of voters in a referendum across the city (44,985 people) and 61,000 signed a petition in favour, including people in every single postal area of mainland Britain.
Without this exciting stadium, a 103-year-old community asset would undoubtedly die and a huge region would be unrepresented in the national sport. The stadium will help regenerate one of the poorest council wards in the South East, creating many hundreds of jobs. It is based on Brighton & Hove Albion’s pioneering Green Transport Plan, contributing to a sustainable environment by including vouchers for train and bus travel with every match ticket. The application is fully supported by Brighton & Hove Liberal Democrats (see below), and must also be seen as part of a much wider initiative to provide sporting facilities to the children of Sussex. Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club is now the city council’s largest partner in the delivery of social and economic programmes. It deserves the opportunity to expand on them rather than seeing them curtailed or destroyed because of a lack of facilities.
The club’s Football in the Community programme is all-embracing and benefits over 3,000 children and young people each year. It sends over 40 coaches into schools, arranges events for over 1,000 young supporters, organises teams for children with special needs, assists in crime-reduction projects in East Brighton, runs a successful women and girls’ football club, and has many other “strings to its bow”.
Of course a stadium will also inspire the city’s young sportsmen and sportswomen, encourage health and well-being, and provide a source of civic pride.
I have set out the text of EDM 889 below:
That this House congratulates Brighton and Hove Albion FC on its success since returning to Brighton in 1999; further congratulates the Club for its hard work in partnership with the local authority and elected representatives to develop a community stadium at Falmer; believes that the only suitable site for a community stadium is at Falmer; welcomes the economic and socio-economic benefits that will accrue to the Club, the community of Brighton and Hove and the local authority, directly through increased tourism, educational opportunities, skills-training and employment, which will also be beneficial for the country; further recognises that the development will complement national Government objectives, by incorporating sustainable transport strategies and will promote social inclusion by providing a focus from which to build community programmes; welcomes the Club's vision of building on its existing community links and expanding its successful Football in the Community programme within the new facility; believes that the community and wider benefits of the proposed stadium at Falmer far outweigh any neglible impact on the Sussex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty; recognises the evidence given by national organisations during the public inquiry demonstrating that the stadium is in the national interest; acknowledges the overwhelming public support for the plans at every stage of consultation; and commends the Falmer site proposal to the Deputy Prime Minister.
Many thanks in advance,
Yours sincerely,
XXXXX
Text of announcement by Paul Elgood, from Brighton & Hove Liberal Democrats web site:
The City Council's Liberal Democrat Group Leader has written to the Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott urging him to support the Albion's dream of a stadium at Falmer.
In a letter to John Prescott, Councillor Paul Elgood, added his voice to many thousands of supporters for the stadium.
Paul said:
"I have supported Falmer at each stage of the planning process and have done so again by writing to John Prescott. Not all of my party's colleagues from elsewhere agree with me, but I strongly believe that a community stadium is in the best interest of the city and this is the only site available to deliver it on."
"There is no other site on the table and there is no other option open. This is the best way to keep the Albion operational and succeeding."
"John Prescott has the power rule in favour of Falmer, and I hope he turns the Albion's dream into a reality."
In the letter to John Prescott, Paul writes:
"If the application is granted there will be enormous benefit for the city and surrounding region in terms of jobs, leisure and community facilities, sporting provision and continued support for Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club."
"The application has gone through a robust and exhaustive process. I can say this from the position of leading an opposition political party in the city, which includes members from outside of the city who are sceptical of the plan. The outcome of the democratic planning process should now be honoured by you."
"The council has undertaken a thorough search for alternative sites for such a stadium. This has proved to be negative and the Albion is left with only one choice for survival. Indeed, the significance of the Albion to this part of the region is huge - you have to go to Portsmouth, Crystal Palace or Gillingham to find clubs of similar size and prominence."