Outcome was first class for club

On Wednesday August 13, the executive committee of Warwick District Council met to consider the council’s draft development plan for the allocation of sites for Gypsies and travellers report due to be recommended to the council for approval. As some of you will know, one of the three preferred sites is Leamington FC’s New Windmill Ground and understandably this has caused concern amongst club fans and shareholders, some of whom, including the board of directors, had formally objected to the council’s allocation of the NWG as a preferred site.

The meeting presented an opportunity for objectors to attend in person and voice their concerns to the executive committee. Speakers included Peter Davies of the Brakes Trust and me. The outcome of the meeting was first class for the club. The leader of the council Andrew Mobbs was hugely supportive of our past achievements, both in terms of football and our community-based work, and also our ambitions to play at a higher level and strengthen our ties with the community. There was a clear recognition by the executive committee of the need to provide for the future security of the club, irrespective of the outcome of the council’s Local Plan regarding G&T sites. In fact, after hearing the speakers and responding to points made, they specifically agreed on an additional recommendation as follows:

‘The council will undertake no move to develop the Leamington Football Club site as a Gypsy and traveller site, until a location is found and made available for use, and has been agreed by the council and Leamington Football Club Limited. The council also confirms that no compulsory purchase order will be used in relation to this site.’

We have an extremely good relationship with Warwick District Council that has been developed over the past four years and no doubt the outcome of the meeting on Wednesday is a reflection of that and one that we had been privately working towards for a considerable period of time. We will continue to keep you appraised of any significant developments in our ongoing discussions with the council and also about any possible new site for the club.

Jim Scott, Chairman, Leamington FC