Ground?

[Samdy Gray]

Wherever he lives he must be fairly minted to own a Maserati Quattroporte  :x

I reckon he blew his redundancy money from nPower on it.

Ms Finch-Crisp apparently lives on Dixon Street.

[mattboyslim]

He didn't used to work for nPower did he?  he never said.

[mjad]

I have typed up my notes from the meeting - apols they are so long.  I don't do shorthand so may have missed something.  If anyone else was there can spot any errors please tell me & i will correct!

Broad Street Community Council meeting 14th March 2007

Notes on presentation from Mike Bowden (STFC):

MB made a few introductory remarks about how he got the job & his history.
He will respect the views of the residents
The CG is not a fine and modern stadium, not up to snuff
There are commercial limitations at the current CG
Only can make income once a fortnight from the 5k – 10k people there
Need a stadium that can provide income
Cannot find a proposal that is financial on the current footprint
Cost for the new stadium will be £30m - £40m
The club exists solely due to the Wills family; no club will exist if it was not for them.
Would like, with permission, to develop a bit bigger ground.  This would take away the green space, including the cricket club.
1st Choice is to stay at the CG
2,000 children are put through football at the CG each week
Wants the development to merge in with the town centre redevelopment
The CG is a community club, if it loses the support of the community would it exist?  It would have a problem
Mike & [his fiancée] live in [deleted] Street
Other options, would look at any other site of about 30 acres in Swindon they could move to.  He is not a champion of a Chippenham franchise.  Wants the club to stay in the Borough.
He has been in post for 3 months.
He asked if any of astro pitches, some grass, bowls or cricket nets work?
Asked where they should build the new ground.

Then, opened the floor for questions.

Q:   What would go under the plans
A:   Some green space will go

Q:   Why should the land be given to a private company?
A:   As part of an Oasis replacement the club may be able to get hold of the land

Q:   Even if there were astro pitches people would not be able to walk on them / Should build at Coate now the University are not there.
A:   Asked me my opinion, to which I said I disagreed with the University being built there.

Q:   Club should clear up the area around the ground, especially the over grown bushes
A:   Will be done in 2 weeks (hopefully 1)

Q:   People only want to do things to make money & how have SBC viewed the proposal
A:   Many meetings with people at SBC.  No one has said it’s a done deal

Q:   What links have you got with the New Swindon Company?
A:   Play golf with Peter James.  He will be invited to the next meeting between STFC, SBC & St Modwens

Q:   The club do not help with the up keep of the area, the area is not safe post matches
A:   Minority of people are a disgrace to football.  References were made to the Bristol Rovers match.  Will try and do better in the future.

Q:   STFC are asking for a bigger stadium, but are not up to the job with the current ground
A:   It will be a different football club

Q:   If STFC are not looking after the ground now, will not look after a bigger ground

Q:   Will you be sending out litter pickers after matches?
A:   Yes

Q:   What plans are there to involve local residents?
A:   Do not have detailed plans on paper.  He inherited plans which needed work to be done on.  He acknowledged that the trust have consulted with residents.  He will come back to the community council again

Q:   For 3 years STFC did not want to know the community council
A:   Will do now

MB then made comments about a meeting with Rod Bluh where he shared 3 possible scenarios
   I   Nationwide stand to remain and build 3 new stands
   II   Rebuild the whole ground, rotate the pitch 90 degrees
   III   Somewhere in between
   
   Financing of the rebuild option is easier than the middle option.  The build 3 new stands is very marginal
   STFC needs to put forward a plan that will be acceptable

Q:   Will STFC replace the open space lost?
A:   No

Q:   comments from the floor about objecting to this & how it’s unacceptable to the local residents.  Will fight over every blade of grass
A:   STFC can either put forward plans despite this or look for 30 acres elsewhere in the Borough

Comments from the floor:
We will pay for this in loss of the green space
We can use the grass for free, the astro pitches would not be free

Q:   Cricket pitch is open space & has been there longer than the football ground
A:   Met with cricket club & they said they would move for better facilities.  This was then disputed by members of the community council who have also met with the cricket club who say they would never move.
   The development would include a hotel, conference facilities & leisure facilities.  STFC would want a joint venture with SBC

Q:   Do STFC support the proposals?
A:   Cannot speak for STFC

Q:   If you do not have detailed plans, what can we discuss?
A:   No plans yet.

Discussion about Trust’s proposals.  MB: agreed he said that the proposal for houses in site were outrageous.  He does not have an issue with the Trust

Q:   Police escort fans to & from the station, do not need this grief from the fans

Q:   This development would generate more traffic & more noise
A:   Would need a transport plan for planning application

Q:   What is in it for us?
A:   SBC would get 30% stake in the joint venture

Q:   Parking at Oasis and Link is free, would this be the same here?
A:   Went on about parking fees in Swindon

MB:   Looking for a 20 – 22k stadium.  7k average this year (largest in the league).  He has a few proposals to get numbers on the gate.  Would prefer to play in front of 12k rather than 7k even if it’s the same receipts

Q:   In conclusion, do not like the plans.  If there are any developments can you ask to come back to the community council?
A:   Yes

Q:   There were reports you have met with Rod Bluh and he has seen the plans
A:   Yes, he has only seen rough sketches of what it may look like
Q:   So there are no plans
A:   Yes, in my head
Q:   Nothing to show
A:   No not yet

MB:   Promise to attend when he can

Q:   Chair asked if any of the following are affected please can he attend:
   Financing
   Loss of green space
   Parking
   Covenant on the land
A:   Yes

No more questions – MB made his apologies he needed to leave to go the Women’s International at the CG.

[sonic youth]

Fucking hell that seems to be my worst nightmare come true.

[pauld]

2,000 children are put through football at the CG each week

104,000 kids a year! When we spoke to the FITC guys at the tail end of last season, it was approx 35,000 pa, which is an impressive figure and a great credit to the fantastic work the FITC guys do, but 104,000 is just fantasy. Unless they've recently employed the Pied Piper or something.

[genf_stfc]

MB then made comments about a meeting with Rod Bluh where he shared 3 possible scenarios
I Nationwide stand to remain and build 3 new stands
II Rebuild the whole ground, rotate the pitch 90 degrees
III Somewhere in between

I love option III - I vote for two new stands and rotate the pitch by 45 degrees

[mjad]

He didn't used to work for nPower did he?  he never said.

he did mention that last night as well  

[Frigby Daser]

Whats pretty clear, is that in the 3 months he's been at the club, he's taking a far more general role than we were led to believe - he's the one they wheel out now for any quotes etc, over Starnes, he's the one in any pictures (with Don Rogers in todays paper etc) - what he's not doingg day in day out is coming up with detailed, well-thought out plans that compromise so they're acceptable to all concerned, as far as can be.

It seems to be the club's way...or Chippenham.

[Dazzza]

Q: What is in it for us?
A: SBC would get 30% stake in the joint venture

What exactly is the 'joint venture'?

If it's not just another idea idea lodged in Mike Bowden's head and a figure plucked straight from the rectum then it would appear the board are proposing to form a management company with the developer, SBC and the club.

I'm concerned that the club will in effectively remain tenants and the stake is going to be held by the holding company whom James Wills is majority shareholder.  What's also rather worrying is the rather large unnamed shareholder in this company.  Rumoured to be Diamandis but regardless whoever they are why do they feel the need to hide behind a proxy holding the shares on their behalf?

If the ultimate exercise is to increase profitability at the club and enhance it's usefulness within the community then it has to be on the condition the club own the appropriate stake and that stake cannot be transferred to another party.  For all of the hot air of the next Madjeski stadium I can't help but feel we're heading for more of a Kassam shambles in the long-run.

[mjad]

never expalined what the jv would be or who would control the other 70%

i assumed it would be the ground & the new buildings (hotel / conference / leisure facs)

before i agreed to anything like this it would need to be acceptable to the local residents & stand up financially for SBC.

mb's plans (in so far as they exist_ are so far from the residents' wishes that i cannot support them.

[RobertT]

I presume they ahve clear plans on how they intend to acquiire a 30% holding? or is this the same as before and they want ownership of Council land for free so they can sell assets on it?

[pauld]

For all of the hot air of the next Madjeski stadium I can't help but feel we're heading for more of a Kassam shambles in the long-run.

Nail. Head. Hit. Which is why Bill Power's pledge that he wouldn't take a profit from the redev and that the future revenue streams would be explicity ring-fenced for the club are so important.

[millom red]

Did anyone from the trust go to this meeting?
Bowden seems to live in a fantasy world...too many drugs whilst moshing to clash tribute bands me thinks. Perhaps he's been on the mushroom cup-a-soups.

[sonic youth]

never expalined what the jv would be or who would control the other 70%

i assumed it would be the ground & the new buildings (hotel / conference / leisure facs)

before i agreed to anything like this it would need to be acceptable to the local residents & stand up financially for SBC.

mb's plans (in so far as they exist_ are so far from the residents' wishes that i cannot support them.

I think you're the first Tory I've ever respected. I'm sure I'm not the only one who appreciates the dialogue you've opened with us on here, it's great to get news straight from the source without any bullshit.

[Fred Elliot]

never expalined what the jv would be or who would control the other 70%

i assumed it would be the ground & the new buildings (hotel / conference / leisure facs)

before i agreed to anything like this it would need to be acceptable to the local residents & stand up financially for SBC.

mb's plans (in so far as they exist_ are so far from the residents' wishes that i cannot support them.

I think you're the first Tory I've ever respected. I'm sure I'm not the only one who appreciates the dialogue you've opened with us on here, it's great to get news straight from the source without any bullshit.

Here Here Sonic

Chris Van Roon is a blue, and he is in exactly the same mould as mjad

Fair play