I agree entirely. I feel that there are local residents who are genuinely concerned about an influx of people and vehicles at weekends and evenings. And whether we agree or disagree, there is a public perception, often fuelled by the media, that football fans equates to increases in anti-social behaviour. And then there will be those who have genuine concerns about the environmental and ever increasing developments/housing.
They have been let down by those who pretend to represent their concerns, who have instead engaged in nothing more than an ego trip to get their names in the media at every given opportunity.
Fortunately, the club have at least tried to reach out to these people with public consultations and this will hopefully continue after planning has been approved. Because we should all want a stadium that meets the needs of the entire community and for us to be good neighbours, and I hope that we are.
Agree 100%- KPC refused to engage with OUFC right from when SB sports ground was on the table, they also failed to engage with any of the Kidlington Sports clubs based at SB
FoSB actively discouraged residents from attending any of the local presentations
the Green leader on KPC despite being invited on more than a few occasions has avoided any engagement with OUFC representatives
two exceptions to no engagement from KPC being 2 years ago when Niall Mac addressed the (packed) AGM prior to the meeting proper starting ( the meeting where FoSB railroaded KPC into holding a costly pointless and premature poll, despite the chairman at the time advising them to wait until more information was available), and OUFC had a Stadium bid stall at the most recent AGM. Prior to which KPC en mass had posted a communal objection on CDC planning portal ( that has since be proven to be erroneous in many of its objections)
The opening question to the Chair person at KPCs very recent AGM was 'what are OUFC doing here?' ( hmm, wonder where that question came from?), yet the OUFC Stadium bid stall had the most amount of interest, with residents asking questions of the club representatives, and getting open and transparent replies. ( as
@bazzer9461 and others witnessed)
KPC councillors have had countless opportunities to engage with OUFC and ensure the best possible deals for residents could be achieved. Yet instead they, KPC, chose to do nothing of the sort.
Of course there are genuine concerns that residents have, most if not all which are potentially straightforward and easy to address, problem, as
@Scotchegg points out, is that the residents of Kidlington have been let down by their elected councillors, who only appear to take on board the narrow views of a small group made up of mainly non Kidlington residents and view those as the only ones with validity. A group whose campaign of scaremongering and deliberate misinformation, fully intended to deceive has, in no uncertain terms, been discredited. Both KPC and FoSB have acted shamefully
