General New Stadium Plans - Stratfield Brake

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A friend of mine Emailed Fiona Mawson (Green candidate after receiving a leaflet through his door in Kidlington, he asked her what her position was on Stratfield Brake as he had noticed Ian Middleton seemed against it.

This was her response:


My position on the matter is to wait and see. At the moment we have nothing firm to go on from the club other than aspirations and promises. I’m sure you’ll appreciate that without more detail it’s impossible for me to assess any sort of firm position on the matter. For that reason I am remaining neutral on the proposals until we know exactly what they are.



However, what I do know is that the site is on one of the last remaining pieces of green belt land in the area and close to an environmentally sensitive site. It's a very important space for both wildlife and local people and was a haven for residents during lockdown. I have to reflect those concerns as a local councillor. Having spent many years campaigning to protect green spaces around our villages for the benefit of people and wildlife, I’d have to be very firmly convinced of the merits of allowing further development on any more of it.



I also know how difficult it will be for this site to be removed from green belt protection. It’s likely to require a public inquiry where a planning inspector will have to assess if there are exceptional circumstances for its removal. There's also likely to be a judicial review of the matter, which is what took place over the local plan review. Again this added considerable cost and delay to the process.



Consequently the council has only recently completed a review of the local plan which saw the removal of large parts of the local green belt but kept the protection on the Stratfield Brake site. For those reasons I doubt that the planning inspector will look favourably on allowing any more to be removed in the short term, but that is another unknown at the moment. On top of all this there is the very complicated leasing arrangements which I think are going to be difficult to unpick with 4 local authorities having to be convinced. I know that the club are on a very short timescale so I'm struggling to see how all this could be overcome in less that 4 years when the previous review took well over 6 years and it's likely to be at least another year before we see any development starting on those sites.



As a local parish councillor I also have to be mindful of the opinions of all local residents, yourself included. For this reason I have agreed with other Kidlington Parish Councillors that we will be holding our own consultation into the proposals once we have full details of them. This may take the form of a local referendum or a full consultation or both. I will then be guided by the response to those exercises along with my own judgement on the proposals from the club. Only then will any of us be able to take a firm position on it either way, but I can assure you that it will be rooted in local opinion. As a local representative I really don’t see how I can take any other position and remain true to my democratic principles.



I should however point out that as the current election is for the District Council, it’s unlikely that I will have much of a say as a District Councillor anyway. Cherwell District Council is already controlled by a large Conservative majority and they will have the final say on the matter
regardless of the outcome of the local elections now. The only way that would change would be if there were to be a landslide vote against them across the district. Considering the council has been in Tory control for over 20 years and has a majority of 32 members I think that’s highly unlikely, even given the Conservatives appalling behaviour in Westminster. For that reason your vote for me or otherwise really won’t make any difference to the outcome of the decision on Stratfield Brake. As far as the District Council is concerned, I won’t be in a position to sway the matter either way. As a Parish Councillor I will be involved in the decision on their lease, but this election is not for the Parish.



I know there have been attempts to portray Ian Middleton as being closed-minded on this matter but that is really not the case as far as I know. We are both sympathetic to the plight of the club and understand the reasons for the proposed move, but Ian is also a County Councillor and a member of the controlling group on the council, so he has far more responsibility and accountability. He sits on the County Council Corporate Scrutiny Committee and the Audit and Governance Committee. He also sits on all four councils that will have a say in this matter and each one will have to agree for things to move forward. So this is a much more complicated matter for him. He also has a far greater responsibility to local residents and for Stratfield Brake as it sits entirely within his County Division. For those reasons he has questioned some of the speculative proposals made by the club because that is his job. If and when we get more detailed proposals there will be more opportunity to comment constructively. Ultimately we are both democrats and are prepared to be guided by local opinion. If the majority of local people want the stadium then we will both support that. No other local councillor could honestly say anything different, or they wouldn’t be a councillor for long, whatever their party.



I hope that makes the position clearer for you. I also hope that you will give me your support in the elections based on personal beliefs that go beyond this one matter. As you have taken the time to write to me, you are obviously someone who takes democracy seriously. As I said above, your vote really will not change the outcome either way as it's not going to affect who controls the District Council. So you are free to make your decision on whatever is most important to you. I would hope that the other issues the Green Party stands for, such as trying to ensure we have planet fit for us and future generations to live on beyond the end of this century and for a fairer more just society will also be an important factors in your decision. But of course, all that is up to you.



Kind regards
Fiona


I like the way that she starts by saying she will remain neutral but then goes on to list objections and negatives🤣🤣🤣 must be a Green Party thing.
 
Headley said:
A friend of mine Emailed Fiona Mawson (Green candidate after receiving a leaflet through his door in Kidlington, he asked her what her position was on Stratfield Brake as he had noticed Ian Middleton seemed against it.

This was her response:


My position on the matter is to wait and see. At the moment we have nothing firm to go on from the club other than aspirations and promises. I’m sure you’ll appreciate that without more detail it’s impossible for me to assess any sort of firm position on the matter. For that reason I am remaining neutral on the proposals until we know exactly what they are.



However, what I do know is that the site is on one of the last remaining pieces of green belt land in the area and close to an environmentally sensitive site. It's a very important space for both wildlife and local people and was a haven for residents during lockdown. I have to reflect those concerns as a local councillor. Having spent many years campaigning to protect green spaces around our villages for the benefit of people and wildlife, I’d have to be very firmly convinced of the merits of allowing further development on any more of it.



I also know how difficult it will be for this site to be removed from green belt protection. It’s likely to require a public inquiry where a planning inspector will have to assess if there are exceptional circumstances for its removal. There's also likely to be a judicial review of the matter, which is what took place over the local plan review. Again this added considerable cost and delay to the process.



Consequently the council has only recently completed a review of the local plan which saw the removal of large parts of the local green belt but kept the protection on the Stratfield Brake site. For those reasons I doubt that the planning inspector will look favourably on allowing any more to be removed in the short term, but that is another unknown at the moment. On top of all this there is the very complicated leasing arrangements which I think are going to be difficult to unpick with 4 local authorities having to be convinced. I know that the club are on a very short timescale so I'm struggling to see how all this could be overcome in less that 4 years when the previous review took well over 6 years and it's likely to be at least another year before we see any development starting on those sites.



As a local parish councillor I also have to be mindful of the opinions of all local residents, yourself included. For this reason I have agreed with other Kidlington Parish Councillors that we will be holding our own consultation into the proposals once we have full details of them. This may take the form of a local referendum or a full consultation or both. I will then be guided by the response to those exercises along with my own judgement on the proposals from the club. Only then will any of us be able to take a firm position on it either way, but I can assure you that it will be rooted in local opinion. As a local representative I really don’t see how I can take any other position and remain true to my democratic principles.



I should however point out that as the current election is for the District Council, it’s unlikely that I will have much of a say as a District Councillor anyway. Cherwell District Council is already controlled by a large Conservative majority and they will have the final say on the matter
regardless of the outcome of the local elections now. The only way that would change would be if there were to be a landslide vote against them across the district. Considering the council has been in Tory control for over 20 years and has a majority of 32 members I think that’s highly unlikely, even given the Conservatives appalling behaviour in Westminster. For that reason your vote for me or otherwise really won’t make any difference to the outcome of the decision on Stratfield Brake. As far as the District Council is concerned, I won’t be in a position to sway the matter either way. As a Parish Councillor I will be involved in the decision on their lease, but this election is not for the Parish.



I know there have been attempts to portray Ian Middleton as being closed-minded on this matter but that is really not the case as far as I know. We are both sympathetic to the plight of the club and understand the reasons for the proposed move, but Ian is also a County Councillor and a member of the controlling group on the council, so he has far more responsibility and accountability. He sits on the County Council Corporate Scrutiny Committee and the Audit and Governance Committee. He also sits on all four councils that will have a say in this matter and each one will have to agree for things to move forward. So this is a much more complicated matter for him. He also has a far greater responsibility to local residents and for Stratfield Brake as it sits entirely within his County Division. For those reasons he has questioned some of the speculative proposals made by the club because that is his job. If and when we get more detailed proposals there will be more opportunity to comment constructively. Ultimately we are both democrats and are prepared to be guided by local opinion. If the majority of local people want the stadium then we will both support that. No other local councillor could honestly say anything different, or they wouldn’t be a councillor for long, whatever their party.



I hope that makes the position clearer for you. I also hope that you will give me your support in the elections based on personal beliefs that go beyond this one matter. As you have taken the time to write to me, you are obviously someone who takes democracy seriously. As I said above, your vote really will not change the outcome either way as it's not going to affect who controls the District Council. So you are free to make your decision on whatever is most important to you. I would hope that the other issues the Green Party stands for, such as trying to ensure we have planet fit for us and future generations to live on beyond the end of this century and for a fairer more just society will also be an important factors in your decision. But of course, all that is up to you.



Kind regards
Fiona


I like the way that she starts by saying she will remain neutral but then goes on to list objections and negatives🤣🤣🤣 must be a Green Party thing.
Click to expand...
Ole Middleton completely neutral and not made his mind up ...pull the other one Fiona its got bells on .
And green belt ,its a sports complex in the main hardly a natural paradise !!
 
Headley said:
A friend of mine Emailed Fiona Mawson (Green candidate after receiving a leaflet through his door in Kidlington, he asked her what her position was on Stratfield Brake as he had noticed Ian Middleton seemed against it.

This was her response:


My position on the matter is to wait and see. At the moment we have nothing firm to go on from the club other than aspirations and promises. I’m sure you’ll appreciate that without more detail it’s impossible for me to assess any sort of firm position on the matter. For that reason I am remaining neutral on the proposals until we know exactly what they are.



However, what I do know is that the site is on one of the last remaining pieces of green belt land in the area and close to an environmentally sensitive site. It's a very important space for both wildlife and local people and was a haven for residents during lockdown. I have to reflect those concerns as a local councillor. Having spent many years campaigning to protect green spaces around our villages for the benefit of people and wildlife, I’d have to be very firmly convinced of the merits of allowing further development on any more of it.



I also know how difficult it will be for this site to be removed from green belt protection. It’s likely to require a public inquiry where a planning inspector will have to assess if there are exceptional circumstances for its removal. There's also likely to be a judicial review of the matter, which is what took place over the local plan review. Again this added considerable cost and delay to the process.



Consequently the council has only recently completed a review of the local plan which saw the removal of large parts of the local green belt but kept the protection on the Stratfield Brake site. For those reasons I doubt that the planning inspector will look favourably on allowing any more to be removed in the short term, but that is another unknown at the moment. On top of all this there is the very complicated leasing arrangements which I think are going to be difficult to unpick with 4 local authorities having to be convinced. I know that the club are on a very short timescale so I'm struggling to see how all this could be overcome in less that 4 years when the previous review took well over 6 years and it's likely to be at least another year before we see any development starting on those sites.



As a local parish councillor I also have to be mindful of the opinions of all local residents, yourself included. For this reason I have agreed with other Kidlington Parish Councillors that we will be holding our own consultation into the proposals once we have full details of them. This may take the form of a local referendum or a full consultation or both. I will then be guided by the response to those exercises along with my own judgement on the proposals from the club. Only then will any of us be able to take a firm position on it either way, but I can assure you that it will be rooted in local opinion. As a local representative I really don’t see how I can take any other position and remain true to my democratic principles.



I should however point out that as the current election is for the District Council, it’s unlikely that I will have much of a say as a District Councillor anyway. Cherwell District Council is already controlled by a large Conservative majority and they will have the final say on the matter
regardless of the outcome of the local elections now. The only way that would change would be if there were to be a landslide vote against them across the district. Considering the council has been in Tory control for over 20 years and has a majority of 32 members I think that’s highly unlikely, even given the Conservatives appalling behaviour in Westminster. For that reason your vote for me or otherwise really won’t make any difference to the outcome of the decision on Stratfield Brake. As far as the District Council is concerned, I won’t be in a position to sway the matter either way. As a Parish Councillor I will be involved in the decision on their lease, but this election is not for the Parish.



I know there have been attempts to portray Ian Middleton as being closed-minded on this matter but that is really not the case as far as I know. We are both sympathetic to the plight of the club and understand the reasons for the proposed move, but Ian is also a County Councillor and a member of the controlling group on the council, so he has far more responsibility and accountability. He sits on the County Council Corporate Scrutiny Committee and the Audit and Governance Committee. He also sits on all four councils that will have a say in this matter and each one will have to agree for things to move forward. So this is a much more complicated matter for him. He also has a far greater responsibility to local residents and for Stratfield Brake as it sits entirely within his County Division. For those reasons he has questioned some of the speculative proposals made by the club because that is his job. If and when we get more detailed proposals there will be more opportunity to comment constructively. Ultimately we are both democrats and are prepared to be guided by local opinion. If the majority of local people want the stadium then we will both support that. No other local councillor could honestly say anything different, or they wouldn’t be a councillor for long, whatever their party.



I hope that makes the position clearer for you. I also hope that you will give me your support in the elections based on personal beliefs that go beyond this one matter. As you have taken the time to write to me, you are obviously someone who takes democracy seriously. As I said above, your vote really will not change the outcome either way as it's not going to affect who controls the District Council. So you are free to make your decision on whatever is most important to you. I would hope that the other issues the Green Party stands for, such as trying to ensure we have planet fit for us and future generations to live on beyond the end of this century and for a fairer more just society will also be an important factors in your decision. But of course, all that is up to you.



Kind regards
Fiona


I like the way that she starts by saying she will remain neutral but then goes on to list objections and negatives🤣🤣🤣 must be a Green Party thing.
Click to expand...

All members of the green party don't want anything built anywhere , but you don't see any of them moving out their house which would of been built on greenbelt and live in a tent do you.

Can't say I buy that wildlife objection either , we aren't building on the nature reserve and more than likely we will enhance the actual site were building on by adding more trees, habitats and wild flowers. At the moment it's just grass which isn't a wildlife haven !
 
Headley said:
A friend of mine Emailed Fiona Mawson (Green candidate after receiving a leaflet through his door in Kidlington, he asked her what her position was on Stratfield Brake as he had noticed Ian Middleton seemed against it.

This was her response:


My position on the matter is to wait and see. At the moment we have nothing firm to go on from the club other than aspirations and promises. I’m sure you’ll appreciate that without more detail it’s impossible for me to assess any sort of firm position on the matter. For that reason I am remaining neutral on the proposals until we know exactly what they are.



However, what I do know is that the site is on one of the last remaining pieces of green belt land in the area and close to an environmentally sensitive site. It's a very important space for both wildlife and local people and was a haven for residents during lockdown. I have to reflect those concerns as a local councillor. Having spent many years campaigning to protect green spaces around our villages for the benefit of people and wildlife, I’d have to be very firmly convinced of the merits of allowing further development on any more of it.



I also know how difficult it will be for this site to be removed from green belt protection. It’s likely to require a public inquiry where a planning inspector will have to assess if there are exceptional circumstances for its removal. There's also likely to be a judicial review of the matter, which is what took place over the local plan review. Again this added considerable cost and delay to the process.



Consequently the council has only recently completed a review of the local plan which saw the removal of large parts of the local green belt but kept the protection on the Stratfield Brake site. For those reasons I doubt that the planning inspector will look favourably on allowing any more to be removed in the short term, but that is another unknown at the moment. On top of all this there is the very complicated leasing arrangements which I think are going to be difficult to unpick with 4 local authorities having to be convinced. I know that the club are on a very short timescale so I'm struggling to see how all this could be overcome in less that 4 years when the previous review took well over 6 years and it's likely to be at least another year before we see any development starting on those sites.



As a local parish councillor I also have to be mindful of the opinions of all local residents, yourself included. For this reason I have agreed with other Kidlington Parish Councillors that we will be holding our own consultation into the proposals once we have full details of them. This may take the form of a local referendum or a full consultation or both. I will then be guided by the response to those exercises along with my own judgement on the proposals from the club. Only then will any of us be able to take a firm position on it either way, but I can assure you that it will be rooted in local opinion. As a local representative I really don’t see how I can take any other position and remain true to my democratic principles.



I should however point out that as the current election is for the District Council, it’s unlikely that I will have much of a say as a District Councillor anyway. Cherwell District Council is already controlled by a large Conservative majority and they will have the final say on the matter
regardless of the outcome of the local elections now. The only way that would change would be if there were to be a landslide vote against them across the district. Considering the council has been in Tory control for over 20 years and has a majority of 32 members I think that’s highly unlikely, even given the Conservatives appalling behaviour in Westminster. For that reason your vote for me or otherwise really won’t make any difference to the outcome of the decision on Stratfield Brake. As far as the District Council is concerned, I won’t be in a position to sway the matter either way. As a Parish Councillor I will be involved in the decision on their lease, but this election is not for the Parish.



I know there have been attempts to portray Ian Middleton as being closed-minded on this matter but that is really not the case as far as I know. We are both sympathetic to the plight of the club and understand the reasons for the proposed move, but Ian is also a County Councillor and a member of the controlling group on the council, so he has far more responsibility and accountability. He sits on the County Council Corporate Scrutiny Committee and the Audit and Governance Committee. He also sits on all four councils that will have a say in this matter and each one will have to agree for things to move forward. So this is a much more complicated matter for him. He also has a far greater responsibility to local residents and for Stratfield Brake as it sits entirely within his County Division. For those reasons he has questioned some of the speculative proposals made by the club because that is his job. If and when we get more detailed proposals there will be more opportunity to comment constructively. Ultimately we are both democrats and are prepared to be guided by local opinion. If the majority of local people want the stadium then we will both support that. No other local councillor could honestly say anything different, or they wouldn’t be a councillor for long, whatever their party.



I hope that makes the position clearer for you. I also hope that you will give me your support in the elections based on personal beliefs that go beyond this one matter. As you have taken the time to write to me, you are obviously someone who takes democracy seriously. As I said above, your vote really will not change the outcome either way as it's not going to affect who controls the District Council. So you are free to make your decision on whatever is most important to you. I would hope that the other issues the Green Party stands for, such as trying to ensure we have planet fit for us and future generations to live on beyond the end of this century and for a fairer more just society will also be an important factors in your decision. But of course, all that is up to you.



Kind regards
Fiona


I like the way that she starts by saying she will remain neutral but then goes on to list objections and negatives🤣🤣🤣 must be a Green Party thing.
Click to expand...
Have to admit I don't understand local politics enough to know if what she says about the legal protections etc are true or not. Does anyone know?
 
Headley said:
A friend of mine Emailed Fiona Mawson (Green candidate after receiving a leaflet through his door in Kidlington, he asked her what her position was on Stratfield Brake as he had noticed Ian Middleton seemed against it.

This was her response:


My position on the matter is to wait and see. At the moment we have nothing firm to go on from the club other than aspirations and promises. I’m sure you’ll appreciate that without more detail it’s impossible for me to assess any sort of firm position on the matter. For that reason I am remaining neutral on the proposals until we know exactly what they are.



However, what I do know is that the site is on one of the last remaining pieces of green belt land in the area and close to an environmentally sensitive site. It's a very important space for both wildlife and local people and was a haven for residents during lockdown. I have to reflect those concerns as a local councillor. Having spent many years campaigning to protect green spaces around our villages for the benefit of people and wildlife, I’d have to be very firmly convinced of the merits of allowing further development on any more of it.



I also know how difficult it will be for this site to be removed from green belt protection. It’s likely to require a public inquiry where a planning inspector will have to assess if there are exceptional circumstances for its removal. There's also likely to be a judicial review of the matter, which is what took place over the local plan review. Again this added considerable cost and delay to the process.



Consequently the council has only recently completed a review of the local plan which saw the removal of large parts of the local green belt but kept the protection on the Stratfield Brake site. For those reasons I doubt that the planning inspector will look favourably on allowing any more to be removed in the short term, but that is another unknown at the moment. On top of all this there is the very complicated leasing arrangements which I think are going to be difficult to unpick with 4 local authorities having to be convinced. I know that the club are on a very short timescale so I'm struggling to see how all this could be overcome in less that 4 years when the previous review took well over 6 years and it's likely to be at least another year before we see any development starting on those sites.



As a local parish councillor I also have to be mindful of the opinions of all local residents, yourself included. For this reason I have agreed with other Kidlington Parish Councillors that we will be holding our own consultation into the proposals once we have full details of them. This may take the form of a local referendum or a full consultation or both. I will then be guided by the response to those exercises along with my own judgement on the proposals from the club. Only then will any of us be able to take a firm position on it either way, but I can assure you that it will be rooted in local opinion. As a local representative I really don’t see how I can take any other position and remain true to my democratic principles.



I should however point out that as the current election is for the District Council, it’s unlikely that I will have much of a say as a District Councillor anyway. Cherwell District Council is already controlled by a large Conservative majority and they will have the final say on the matter
regardless of the outcome of the local elections now. The only way that would change would be if there were to be a landslide vote against them across the district. Considering the council has been in Tory control for over 20 years and has a majority of 32 members I think that’s highly unlikely, even given the Conservatives appalling behaviour in Westminster. For that reason your vote for me or otherwise really won’t make any difference to the outcome of the decision on Stratfield Brake. As far as the District Council is concerned, I won’t be in a position to sway the matter either way. As a Parish Councillor I will be involved in the decision on their lease, but this election is not for the Parish.



I know there have been attempts to portray Ian Middleton as being closed-minded on this matter but that is really not the case as far as I know. We are both sympathetic to the plight of the club and understand the reasons for the proposed move, but Ian is also a County Councillor and a member of the controlling group on the council, so he has far more responsibility and accountability. He sits on the County Council Corporate Scrutiny Committee and the Audit and Governance Committee. He also sits on all four councils that will have a say in this matter and each one will have to agree for things to move forward. So this is a much more complicated matter for him. He also has a far greater responsibility to local residents and for Stratfield Brake as it sits entirely within his County Division. For those reasons he has questioned some of the speculative proposals made by the club because that is his job. If and when we get more detailed proposals there will be more opportunity to comment constructively. Ultimately we are both democrats and are prepared to be guided by local opinion. If the majority of local people want the stadium then we will both support that. No other local councillor could honestly say anything different, or they wouldn’t be a councillor for long, whatever their party.



I hope that makes the position clearer for you. I also hope that you will give me your support in the elections based on personal beliefs that go beyond this one matter. As you have taken the time to write to me, you are obviously someone who takes democracy seriously. As I said above, your vote really will not change the outcome either way as it's not going to affect who controls the District Council. So you are free to make your decision on whatever is most important to you. I would hope that the other issues the Green Party stands for, such as trying to ensure we have planet fit for us and future generations to live on beyond the end of this century and for a fairer more just society will also be an important factors in your decision. But of course, all that is up to you.



Kind regards
Fiona


I like the way that she starts by saying she will remain neutral but then goes on to list objections and negatives🤣🤣🤣 must be a Green Party thing.
Click to expand...

That actually seems like a perfectly reasonable response to me.
 
Joey's Left Boot said:
Have to admit I don't understand local politics enough to know if what she says about the legal protections etc are true or not. Does anyone know?
Click to expand...
It's worth a read of this document Cherwell Green Belt Study
Sorry, it's a bit long but, the essence is that Stratfield Brake is of a low to moderate factor in the green belt status. In fact, most of Stratfield Brake does not appear to be green belt in the truest sense.
One of the the criteria listed by this study for green belt development is employment and whilst the stadium etc does not create 1000s of jobs, it does promise employment to a scale worthy of consideration.

The already planned and agreed building of housing around Kidlington has set precedence and, as I have said before, falls under the existing Cherwell Local Plan. Adopted Cherwell Local Plan
www.oxfordmail.co.uk

Plans to build 2,000 homes slated for 'raiding the green belt'

PLANS to build almost 2000 homes on the edge of the city have been criticised for ‘raiding the green belt’.
www.oxfordmail.co.uk www.oxfordmail.co.uk

All in all, there is enough to say that the stadium development along with the other proposals (hotel, restaurants, shops etc) and the enhanced access to both Oxford Parkway and the nature reserve and the canal path would be an enhancement and benefit to, not only Kidlington but also the wider county community.
 
Headley said:
A friend of mine Emailed Fiona Mawson (Green candidate after receiving a leaflet through his door in Kidlington, he asked her what her position was on Stratfield Brake as he had noticed Ian Middleton seemed against it.

This was her response:


My position on the matter is to wait and see. At the moment we have nothing firm to go on from the club other than aspirations and promises. I’m sure you’ll appreciate that without more detail it’s impossible for me to assess any sort of firm position on the matter. For that reason I am remaining neutral on the proposals until we know exactly what they are.



However, what I do know is that the site is on one of the last remaining pieces of green belt land in the area and close to an environmentally sensitive site. It's a very important space for both wildlife and local people and was a haven for residents during lockdown. I have to reflect those concerns as a local councillor. Having spent many years campaigning to protect green spaces around our villages for the benefit of people and wildlife, I’d have to be very firmly convinced of the merits of allowing further development on any more of it.



I also know how difficult it will be for this site to be removed from green belt protection. It’s likely to require a public inquiry where a planning inspector will have to assess if there are exceptional circumstances for its removal. There's also likely to be a judicial review of the matter, which is what took place over the local plan review. Again this added considerable cost and delay to the process.



Consequently the council has only recently completed a review of the local plan which saw the removal of large parts of the local green belt but kept the protection on the Stratfield Brake site. For those reasons I doubt that the planning inspector will look favourably on allowing any more to be removed in the short term, but that is another unknown at the moment. On top of all this there is the very complicated leasing arrangements which I think are going to be difficult to unpick with 4 local authorities having to be convinced. I know that the club are on a very short timescale so I'm struggling to see how all this could be overcome in less that 4 years when the previous review took well over 6 years and it's likely to be at least another year before we see any development starting on those sites.



As a local parish councillor I also have to be mindful of the opinions of all local residents, yourself included. For this reason I have agreed with other Kidlington Parish Councillors that we will be holding our own consultation into the proposals once we have full details of them. This may take the form of a local referendum or a full consultation or both. I will then be guided by the response to those exercises along with my own judgement on the proposals from the club. Only then will any of us be able to take a firm position on it either way, but I can assure you that it will be rooted in local opinion. As a local representative I really don’t see how I can take any other position and remain true to my democratic principles.



I should however point out that as the current election is for the District Council, it’s unlikely that I will have much of a say as a District Councillor anyway. Cherwell District Council is already controlled by a large Conservative majority and they will have the final say on the matter
regardless of the outcome of the local elections now. The only way that would change would be if there were to be a landslide vote against them across the district. Considering the council has been in Tory control for over 20 years and has a majority of 32 members I think that’s highly unlikely, even given the Conservatives appalling behaviour in Westminster. For that reason your vote for me or otherwise really won’t make any difference to the outcome of the decision on Stratfield Brake. As far as the District Council is concerned, I won’t be in a position to sway the matter either way. As a Parish Councillor I will be involved in the decision on their lease, but this election is not for the Parish.



I know there have been attempts to portray Ian Middleton as being closed-minded on this matter but that is really not the case as far as I know. We are both sympathetic to the plight of the club and understand the reasons for the proposed move, but Ian is also a County Councillor and a member of the controlling group on the council, so he has far more responsibility and accountability. He sits on the County Council Corporate Scrutiny Committee and the Audit and Governance Committee. He also sits on all four councils that will have a say in this matter and each one will have to agree for things to move forward. So this is a much more complicated matter for him. He also has a far greater responsibility to local residents and for Stratfield Brake as it sits entirely within his County Division. For those reasons he has questioned some of the speculative proposals made by the club because that is his job. If and when we get more detailed proposals there will be more opportunity to comment constructively. Ultimately we are both democrats and are prepared to be guided by local opinion. If the majority of local people want the stadium then we will both support that. No other local councillor could honestly say anything different, or they wouldn’t be a councillor for long, whatever their party.



I hope that makes the position clearer for you. I also hope that you will give me your support in the elections based on personal beliefs that go beyond this one matter. As you have taken the time to write to me, you are obviously someone who takes democracy seriously. As I said above, your vote really will not change the outcome either way as it's not going to affect who controls the District Council. So you are free to make your decision on whatever is most important to you. I would hope that the other issues the Green Party stands for, such as trying to ensure we have planet fit for us and future generations to live on beyond the end of this century and for a fairer more just society will also be an important factors in your decision. But of course, all that is up to you.



Kind regards
Fiona


I like the way that she starts by saying she will remain neutral but then goes on to list objections and negatives🤣🤣🤣 must be a Green Party thing.
Click to expand...
this is what you get when you vote green!
 
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