Council leader hits out at club

[RobertT]

A full and frank assessment of their time in charge starting on the front page wouldn't go amiss.  Then a section for each key "player" that has got us to where we are (this will allow for a bit of detail on the other candidates for our continued failure over the years and so make it look less like a character assasination).

[pumbaa]

Could someone please cut and paste the text of that article here please - can't access the link thanks to the security gestapo. Grazie!

[Samdy Gray]

Here you go Coxy:

SWINDON Borough Council leader Rod Bluh has rubbished suggestions by Swindon Town that the club have sought to re-open negotiations over the deadline for the CVA payment.

Under the terms of the CVA (Company Voluntary Agreement), Town owe £900,000 to their remaining creditors by June 30 but, in a statement yesterday, claimed to have discussed a possible extension with the council's finance department about the money owed to the authority.

However, Coun Bluh has backed colleague Nick Martin, lead member for finance and resources, who earlier this week insisted no attempt had been made to vary the schedule of the CVA. Bluh told the Swindon Advertiser: "If Swindon want to re-negotiate then that's fine, but they have to discuss the matter with the parties and the creditors involved.

"We've heard lots of statements in public about extending the deadline, but nothing has been discussed in private.

"To alter the terms of the CVA there would have to be a creditors meeting and I'm not aware of any of these meetings taking place.

"The football club has been aware of the June 30 deadline for a considerable time now, since August 2002.

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 "We are a week away from that and I know of no serious attempt to contact the council with regards to renegotiation."

In a statement released yesterday, Town officials claimed payment of the CVA assumed a "successful redevelopment of the County Ground " - a notion dismissed by Bluh.

"I'm not aware of any links between the terms of the CVA and the sports ground development," he added.

"Lots of meetings have occurred with regards to the redevelopment of the ground.

"Our position is quite clear. The County Ground development is open to discussion at any time."

Coun Bluh is also unhappy at Town's suggestion the council "must have a degree of empathy" with the club, having been categorised as a "failing authority" in the past.

He said: "I see that as a cheap comment. Swindon Town are a private company and they have to pay their way. They are liable to the creditors.

"We are a public body and as such we have a duty to the tax payers of Swindon. The fact that club even have a CVA was partly thanks to our help five years ago.

"I would find any attempt to try to deflect anything onto the council extremely disappointing because that would not be borne out by the facts.'' Yesterday's club statement attacked the "negative'' and "not helpful'' comments of Martin (right).

But Bluh fully backed his fellow council member.

He added: "We are taking a hard line on this and we think we have every justification to do so."

"We are not looking for a confrontation with the football club.

"We want to engage in positive conversation.

"We are not trying to make things difficult, but there are processes and procedures we must follow."

7:49am today

[Fred Elliot]

Oh bollox


 

[Samdy Gray]

Ner ner ner ner ner! Beat you!  

[pumbaa]

Thanks Sam.

Now 'fess up. Who out of Fred or Pauld wrote that on behalf of Rod Bluh?

[Fred Elliot]

not guilty


 

[pumbaa]

Thought it was too good to be your work  

[Fred Elliot]

cheeky bastard


 

[pauld]

Not enough spelling mistakes to have been Fred's; not long-winded or pompous enough to have been mine - all Mr Bluh's own work, this one.

[pumbaa]

Damn it. I was hoping for a  

Out of interest Paul, what are your thoughts on Bluh's statement?

[pauld]

Out of interest Paul, what are your thoughts on Bluh's statement?

Remarkably restrained under the circumstances, while also managing to pull no punches. I think he's made his and the council's position very clear and if anyone had fallen for the "Nasty Nick's a horrid but don't worry cos Rod's our mate and he'll see us right" line of yesterday, they will presumably have been set right by what he had to say.