: Wed Sep 17, 2008 3:41 pm  

OK, further update.

The planning minutes would not necessarily have the relevant conditions we are trying to locate. So, I have been back in touch with planning, and need to request a copy of the Planning Officer's report to the committee.

I also have spoken to Legal, and the person who dealt with the Council funding is on holiday, it may have been the funding that was conditional on use- so I need to put a further request in writing, and to make sure all the ends are tied up, I need to contact Finance Dept for their report on the deal.

3 letters winging their way to Wigan Council as we speak.

I also notice that my counsellor (ex now I think) - Alf Robinson, declared an interest, and excused himself from the vote, so I am just about to drop him an e-mail, hoping he may be able to shed some light on the situation.

: Wed Sep 17, 2008 4:55 pm  

Donna wrote: OK, further update. The planning minutes would not necessarily have the relevant conditions we are trying to locate. So, I have been back in touch with planning, and need to request a copy of the Planning Officer's report to the committee. I also have spoken to Legal, and the person who dealt with the Council funding is on holiday, it may have been the funding that was conditional on use- so I need to put a further request in writing, and to make sure all the ends are tied up, I need to contact Finance Dept for their report on the deal. 3 letters winging their way to Wigan Council as we speak. I also notice that my counsellor (ex now I think) - Alf Robinson, declared an interest, and excused himself from the vote, so I am just about to drop him an e-mail, hoping he may be able to shed some light on the situation. definitely ex...........he retired earlier this year when he turned 90 http://www.wigantoday.net/wiganworld/It ... 3946674.jp

Donna wrote: OK, further update. The planning minutes would not necessarily have the relevant conditions we are trying to locate. So, I have been back in touch with planning, and need to request a copy of the Planning Officer's report to the committee. I also have spoken to Legal, and the person who dealt with the Council funding is on holiday, it may have been the funding that was conditional on use- so I need to put a further request in writing, and to make sure all the ends are tied up, I need to contact Finance Dept for their report on the deal. 3 letters winging their way to Wigan Council as we speak. I also notice that my counsellor (ex now I think) - Alf Robinson, declared an interest, and excused himself from the vote, so I am just about to drop him an e-mail, hoping he may be able to shed some light on the situation. definitely ex...........he retired earlier this year when he turned 90 http://www.wigantoday.net/wiganworld/It ... 3946674.jp

: Wed Sep 17, 2008 4:59 pm  

wigan pie man wrote: definitely ex...........he retired earlier this year when he turned 90 http://www.wigantoday.net/wiganworld/It ... 3946674.jp Thought so, he's still alive and kicking, and lives 2 streets away from me. I will write to him, see if he can give us any info.

wigan pie man wrote: definitely ex...........he retired earlier this year when he turned 90 http://www.wigantoday.net/wiganworld/It ... 3946674.jp Thought so, he's still alive and kicking, and lives 2 streets away from me. I will write to him, see if he can give us any info.

[Pemps]

: Thu Sep 18, 2008 2:56 pm  

I've cleaned this up and put the bickering about Whelan in a seperate thread.

Lets try and keep this one on track.

: Thu Sep 18, 2008 3:16 pm  

OK, rather than send different letters I have sent a request under the Freedom of Information act requesting the following:

Details required are as follows:

1. A copy of the Planning Officers report to the planning committee, case ref A/47590/97. Any planning minutes where permission/conditions on build, for the JJB were discussed.

2. From Planning, any details of discussions/decision taken in the last 12 months with regards to the proposed ground share at Leigh Sporting Village between Wigan RLFC and Leigh RLFC, and any details/discussions that may have taken place in departments other than planning, with regards to this.

3. Details from Finance Department, detailing any funding provided by Wigan Council for the build of the JJB or the purchase of Land, and any covenants/conditions applied to that funding. Especially conditions of use. Also copies of any relevant correspondence.

4. Details from Legal regarding any contract/correspondence with regards to the Council's role in the purchase/build of the JJB, and any conditions relating to that involvement.

5. Any correspondence between any Wigan Council Department, and Whelco, Whelco II, The Stadium Company, Dave Whelan, Maurice Lindsay, Ian Lenaghan, and any subsidiary of Whelco, relating to the JJB stadium, and or Wigan RLFC.

6. Details of any 3rd party organisations involved in providing grants for the purchase/build of the JJB stadium.

I have had a phone call from the relevant dept, advising that they have begun compiling the documents, and have contacted the relevant people in each department.

We have friends in useful places is all I can say at this point.

WRT item 2, there have been NO council discussions regarding this, although as was explained to me this does not mean that IL, and the Chairman of Leigh have not had conversations about using the Sporting Village, should last weeks issue raise it's ugly head again.

For the record, Leigh Sporting Village is in the ownership/control of the Local Authority, the JJB is not. Wigan Council, however, may have a small number of shares in Whelco. That will be confirmed to me in writing if that is the case.

I should expect a written reply/correspondence within 20 working days.

I will let you have the info as it comes through.

: Thu Sep 18, 2008 3:28 pm  

Donna wrote:

OK, rather than send different letters I have sent a request under the Freedom of Information act requesting the following:

Details required are as follows:

1. A copy of the Planning Officers report to the planning committee, case ref A/47590/97. Any planning minutes where permission/conditions on build, for the JJB were discussed.

2. From Planning, any details of discussions/decision taken in the last 12 months with regards to the proposed ground share at Leigh Sporting Village between Wigan RLFC and Leigh RLFC, and any details/discussions that may have taken place in departments other than planning, with regards to this.

3. Details from Finance Department, detailing any funding provided by Wigan Council for the build of the JJB or the purchase of Land, and any covenants/conditions applied to that funding. Especially conditions of use. Also copies of any relevant correspondence.

4. Details from Legal regarding any contract/correspondence with regards to the Council's role in the purchase/build of the JJB, and any conditions relating to that involvement.

5. Any correspondence between any Wigan Council Department, and Whelco, Whelco II, The Stadium Company, Dave Whelan, Maurice Lindsay, Ian Lenaghan, and any subsidiary of Whelco, relating to the JJB stadium, and or Wigan RLFC.

6. Details of any 3rd party organisations involved in providing grants for the purchase/build of the JJB stadium.

I have had a phone call from the relevant dept, advising that they have begun compiling the documents, and have contacted the relevant people in each department.

We have friends in useful places is all I can say at this point.

WRT item 2, there have been NO council discussions regarding this, although as was explained to me this does not mean that IL, and the Chairman of Leigh have not had conversations about using the Sporting Village, should last weeks issue raise it's ugly head again.

For the record, Leigh Sporting Village is in the ownership/control of the Local Authority, the JJB is not. Wigan Council, however, may have a small number of shares in Whelco. That will be confirmed to me in writing if that is the case.

I should expect a written reply/correspondence within 20 working days.

I will let you have the info as it comes through.

Great work, well done and hope its all worthwhile

: Thu Sep 18, 2008 8:42 pm  

Absolutely brilliant work Donna and well done.

: Fri Sep 19, 2008 7:26 pm  

Good work Donna !

I am deeply interested in this thread.

: Sat Sep 20, 2008 7:59 pm  

Donna wrote:

Ok, I have had the planning meeting minutes, at which the Stadium was approved.

The application was made by Alfred McAlpine Special Projects, and Whelco II Ltd, and was approved on 4/11/1997.

There is nothing of any relevance in there. In fact there is no reference at all to football or rugby.

Awaiting the other information requested.

I will scan the doc tomorrow, so if anyone wants a copy, PM me.

Wasnt this date way before the idea of a dual-purpose stadium was mooted? I'm not 100% but wasnt this before Whelan even got involved with Wigan RLFC? If both answers are "Yes", then it suggests to me that he was sorting out a football ground, and only got the rugby in on the act once he'd bought the club for a song from Robinson.

: Sat Sep 20, 2008 9:16 pm  

martinbuckley wrote:

Wasnt this date way before the idea of a dual-purpose stadium was mooted? I'm not 100% but wasnt this before Whelan even got involved with Wigan RLFC? If both answers are "Yes", then it suggests to me that he was sorting out a football ground, and only got the rugby in on the act once he'd bought the club for a song from Robinson.

May well be. I have asked for ALL planning docs relating to the JJB to make sure.

As an aside,, I have been to walkabout tonight, and started chatting to one of the groundsmen from the JJB. He told me it takes no more than 4 hours to turnaround the ground and the concourse.

They groundsmen were EXPECTING to work to turn the ground around last week, but were told they were not needed!