duffer
Well-Known Member
The response I've just received from a councillor, in reply to my email sent prior to the vote.
I've stripped out the names, but looking at the original document properties, and the style of writing employed, I think that this is a generic letter that everyone who emailed a councillor will be receiving at some point. Even it isn't, I don't care. This is in the public interest, and I can see no reason for not sharing it here.
I'm going to add that there's hardly a single point made in this email that I agree with, but I'll pull it apart when I'm less busy!
In the meantime though, regardless of my opinion, here's the Council's take on the matter.
Dear…
Re: ACL / Ricoh / Wasps
Thank you for your recent email. I apologise for the slight delay in responding to you, but for obvious reasons the last few days have been particularly busy.
As you will now know, Coventry City Councillors have supported a deal to sell the Council’s share in ACL – the company that runs the Ricoh Arena – to Wasps Rugby Club. I voted in favour of the deal, as did my colleagues in the Conservative Group.
The deal ensures the Council makes a return on its original investment of £13.7million into the Arena development alongside significant investment into grassroots and community rugby development across the city.
Councillors unanimously agreed to the proposals at a meeting of Full Council yesterday afternoon. I appreciate the frustration with the vote and detailed debate being held in private, but this was necessary due to commercial confidentiality. Councillors were also briefed in significant detail about the deal.
I want to address some of the issues raised by local residents, as I know this will be of significant concern to many, particularly the impact on Coventry City Football Club and Coventry Rugby Club.
I can assure you that the deal enables Coventry City Football Club’s continuing tenancy at the stadium, with primacy over match fixtures. It will also lead to work to develop links with Coventry Rugby Club to ensure joint work to support both clubs. Councillors from both parties were very clear to senior officers that we would not support a deal that would have a negative impact on either the City’s football club or rugby club.
As with all Councillors, I made the decision to support the vote about the Ricoh Arena’s future with the interests of Coventry taxpayers and communities in mind and I can state categorically that this deal would not have happened if it threatened the future of the football club or Coventry Rugby Club.
This is the most important decision this Council has ever made about the future of one of its best community assets, and we would not have made it unless we were confident it was the right thing to do.
In addition, the Wasps Rugby Club believe that the Ricoh Arena is one of the best sporting arenas in Europe. They want to bring the best rugby union players in the world to play here in Coventry.
They’ll be moving to a world-class stadium and building state-of-the-art training facilities, and the revenue and infrastructure provided through the Ricoh Arena will help Wasps compete with the best clubs in Europe.
I know that many questions have been asked about the deal and I have included below some key questions and answers, which I hope address your concerns.
How much money has Wasps paid for your share of ACL?
We can’t share the details of this because of commercial confidentiality. It was based on an independent valuation and represents a good deal for both parties.
We have also secured significant investment into grassroots and community rugby development across the city. Having a successful rugby club playing at the Ricoh Arena brings wider economic benefits for the city – when Wasps played here in the Heineken Cup in 2007 we saw 28,000 fans here who injected circa £6million into the local economy. This deal is good for Coventry taxpayers and Coventry sport – we wouldn’t have made it otherwise.
Why has all this been conducted in secret? It’s taxpayers money – don’t they have the right to know?
We were bound by a very strict commercial confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements as soon as we began talking to Wasps. They’re a successful business and were very clear that we needed to observe confidentiality. We made sure as much of debate as possible was in public at Full Council and we will share all the information we can about the deal, respecting the issue of commercial confidentiality and the non-disclosure agreement.
You’ve always said the freehold isn’t for sale – but the length of the leasehold now means you’ve, in effect, sold the freehold – why have you done a U-turn on this?
The Council has always been committed to consider all options available to not just protect but also maximise the potential of the Ricoh Arena. We must continue to deliver all the objectives which led us to that brave decision in 2003 to build the Arena and regenerate one of the most deprived parts of our city.
Any decision about the Ricoh’s future will be made with the interest of Coventry taxpayers and communities at its heart. That’s what we’ve done here. During the time the football club left the Ricoh we were clear that selling the freehold was not an option during a time of instability and uncertainty. Wasps need a long leasehold to develop their exciting business plans for the Ricoh – and this is the right deal for Coventry and its future.
You’ve always said the Ricoh is a valuable community asset – haven’t you just sold this off to private business with no guarantees it will benefit the taxpayers of Coventry?
Our key aim has always been to support any business plan or strategy that will ensure the future success of both the club and the wider Ricoh Arena. The Council has always had the interests of the people of Coventry – taxpayers, local residents and football fans – at the heart of any decision made about the future ownership of the stadium. That’s why we’ve made this decision.
Wasps fans are angry about the move away from their home patch – as you were when the football club moved to Northampton – aren’t you being hypocritical now?
These are not the same sets of circumstances at all. Wasps have been looking for a permanent home for years, and haven’t had a real home for a long time. The football club left a stadium because they didn’t want to pay their rent and wanted to build their own stadium. Of course not all fans will like a change like this, but Wasps are offering a substantial package to current season ticket holders. They are also determined to build a new loyal following in and around the city.
This – surely – prevents the football club ever owning the stadium, which is what they’ve always wanted. By doing this haven’t you sounded the death knell for the club?
No. This deal means the football club are in exactly the same position as they were when they came back to the Ricoh Arena on the two year plus two year deal. They now have the opportunity to build a new relationship with new shareholders – the club’s owners have always made it clear they don’t like doing business with the Council, and the history of our relationship with them has been difficult. This is a fresh start and a great opportunity to build bridges. Wasps see the club as an important player in making the Ricoh Arena a world class stadium, and I hope the football club rises to this new, exciting challenge. It’s now up to Wasps to explore what this new relationship can be.
Do you think the football club will buy the shares in AEHC and become joint owners of the Ricoh? How would you feel if that happened?
That’s up to the football club. Clearly, we’d want to see any joint venture between the two clubs benefiting the city and community.
Can Coventry really support two rugby clubs? How can this be good for Coventry rugby club?
Wasps are absolutely committed to working with Coventry Rugby Club on joint community development work, on developing good young players, on making sure the sport of rugby is embedded across the city. That’s good for Cov rugby. Clearly they have some concerns about the deal and because of commercial confidentiality; we simply couldn’t share details with them before the deal was agreed. Now they can build a relationship with Wasps that will benefit both clubs.
Councillors were clear that any deal should not be detrimental to the long term stability and sustainable future for the club. Coventry can support two successful and aspirational rugby clubs – why shouldn’t it work towards being a Rugby City?
I hope this provides you with some reassurance that we as Councillors acted in the best interests of taxpayers when deciding to approve this deal.
Yours sincerely
Councillor...
I've stripped out the names, but looking at the original document properties, and the style of writing employed, I think that this is a generic letter that everyone who emailed a councillor will be receiving at some point. Even it isn't, I don't care. This is in the public interest, and I can see no reason for not sharing it here.
I'm going to add that there's hardly a single point made in this email that I agree with, but I'll pull it apart when I'm less busy!
In the meantime though, regardless of my opinion, here's the Council's take on the matter.
Dear…
Re: ACL / Ricoh / Wasps
Thank you for your recent email. I apologise for the slight delay in responding to you, but for obvious reasons the last few days have been particularly busy.
As you will now know, Coventry City Councillors have supported a deal to sell the Council’s share in ACL – the company that runs the Ricoh Arena – to Wasps Rugby Club. I voted in favour of the deal, as did my colleagues in the Conservative Group.
The deal ensures the Council makes a return on its original investment of £13.7million into the Arena development alongside significant investment into grassroots and community rugby development across the city.
Councillors unanimously agreed to the proposals at a meeting of Full Council yesterday afternoon. I appreciate the frustration with the vote and detailed debate being held in private, but this was necessary due to commercial confidentiality. Councillors were also briefed in significant detail about the deal.
I want to address some of the issues raised by local residents, as I know this will be of significant concern to many, particularly the impact on Coventry City Football Club and Coventry Rugby Club.
I can assure you that the deal enables Coventry City Football Club’s continuing tenancy at the stadium, with primacy over match fixtures. It will also lead to work to develop links with Coventry Rugby Club to ensure joint work to support both clubs. Councillors from both parties were very clear to senior officers that we would not support a deal that would have a negative impact on either the City’s football club or rugby club.
As with all Councillors, I made the decision to support the vote about the Ricoh Arena’s future with the interests of Coventry taxpayers and communities in mind and I can state categorically that this deal would not have happened if it threatened the future of the football club or Coventry Rugby Club.
This is the most important decision this Council has ever made about the future of one of its best community assets, and we would not have made it unless we were confident it was the right thing to do.
In addition, the Wasps Rugby Club believe that the Ricoh Arena is one of the best sporting arenas in Europe. They want to bring the best rugby union players in the world to play here in Coventry.
They’ll be moving to a world-class stadium and building state-of-the-art training facilities, and the revenue and infrastructure provided through the Ricoh Arena will help Wasps compete with the best clubs in Europe.
I know that many questions have been asked about the deal and I have included below some key questions and answers, which I hope address your concerns.
How much money has Wasps paid for your share of ACL?
We can’t share the details of this because of commercial confidentiality. It was based on an independent valuation and represents a good deal for both parties.
We have also secured significant investment into grassroots and community rugby development across the city. Having a successful rugby club playing at the Ricoh Arena brings wider economic benefits for the city – when Wasps played here in the Heineken Cup in 2007 we saw 28,000 fans here who injected circa £6million into the local economy. This deal is good for Coventry taxpayers and Coventry sport – we wouldn’t have made it otherwise.
Why has all this been conducted in secret? It’s taxpayers money – don’t they have the right to know?
We were bound by a very strict commercial confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements as soon as we began talking to Wasps. They’re a successful business and were very clear that we needed to observe confidentiality. We made sure as much of debate as possible was in public at Full Council and we will share all the information we can about the deal, respecting the issue of commercial confidentiality and the non-disclosure agreement.
You’ve always said the freehold isn’t for sale – but the length of the leasehold now means you’ve, in effect, sold the freehold – why have you done a U-turn on this?
The Council has always been committed to consider all options available to not just protect but also maximise the potential of the Ricoh Arena. We must continue to deliver all the objectives which led us to that brave decision in 2003 to build the Arena and regenerate one of the most deprived parts of our city.
Any decision about the Ricoh’s future will be made with the interest of Coventry taxpayers and communities at its heart. That’s what we’ve done here. During the time the football club left the Ricoh we were clear that selling the freehold was not an option during a time of instability and uncertainty. Wasps need a long leasehold to develop their exciting business plans for the Ricoh – and this is the right deal for Coventry and its future.
You’ve always said the Ricoh is a valuable community asset – haven’t you just sold this off to private business with no guarantees it will benefit the taxpayers of Coventry?
Our key aim has always been to support any business plan or strategy that will ensure the future success of both the club and the wider Ricoh Arena. The Council has always had the interests of the people of Coventry – taxpayers, local residents and football fans – at the heart of any decision made about the future ownership of the stadium. That’s why we’ve made this decision.
Wasps fans are angry about the move away from their home patch – as you were when the football club moved to Northampton – aren’t you being hypocritical now?
These are not the same sets of circumstances at all. Wasps have been looking for a permanent home for years, and haven’t had a real home for a long time. The football club left a stadium because they didn’t want to pay their rent and wanted to build their own stadium. Of course not all fans will like a change like this, but Wasps are offering a substantial package to current season ticket holders. They are also determined to build a new loyal following in and around the city.
This – surely – prevents the football club ever owning the stadium, which is what they’ve always wanted. By doing this haven’t you sounded the death knell for the club?
No. This deal means the football club are in exactly the same position as they were when they came back to the Ricoh Arena on the two year plus two year deal. They now have the opportunity to build a new relationship with new shareholders – the club’s owners have always made it clear they don’t like doing business with the Council, and the history of our relationship with them has been difficult. This is a fresh start and a great opportunity to build bridges. Wasps see the club as an important player in making the Ricoh Arena a world class stadium, and I hope the football club rises to this new, exciting challenge. It’s now up to Wasps to explore what this new relationship can be.
Do you think the football club will buy the shares in AEHC and become joint owners of the Ricoh? How would you feel if that happened?
That’s up to the football club. Clearly, we’d want to see any joint venture between the two clubs benefiting the city and community.
Can Coventry really support two rugby clubs? How can this be good for Coventry rugby club?
Wasps are absolutely committed to working with Coventry Rugby Club on joint community development work, on developing good young players, on making sure the sport of rugby is embedded across the city. That’s good for Cov rugby. Clearly they have some concerns about the deal and because of commercial confidentiality; we simply couldn’t share details with them before the deal was agreed. Now they can build a relationship with Wasps that will benefit both clubs.
Councillors were clear that any deal should not be detrimental to the long term stability and sustainable future for the club. Coventry can support two successful and aspirational rugby clubs – why shouldn’t it work towards being a Rugby City?
I hope this provides you with some reassurance that we as Councillors acted in the best interests of taxpayers when deciding to approve this deal.
Yours sincerely
Councillor...
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