samuel wrote: ↑18 Apr 2017, 23:22
I have been told that it is
UNLIKELY the council will get rid of the freehold to GI (from an excellent source). However, although involved in property and planning myself, I have struggled to work out what the GI game plan is. I have juggled all the scenarios, spoken to several people in the know. In the offices at Plainmoor I have seen concept drawings of the new stadium, all purpose training pitch, hotel and retail outlets at The Willows. Looks lovely on paper but can only come to fruition as a result of a combination of shenanigans of immense proportions and deals so convoluted with so many uncertainties it would be a massive gamble. Assurances would have to be given by Torbay Council who are duty bound to get the highest price for their assets.
Problem with all of this is the secrecy and the fans being kept in the dark by the previous board, the mayor, the council - everyone. The confidentiality clause was an affront to the paying fan. Is there some missive - on any of the forums - where has someone actually worked out what would happen if GI actually did nothing. No investment in the team, just maintain the buildings, pay off the staff. Torquay United would fold. Then what, the freehold would be worth much less wouldn't it. The covenant would be diluted. I just can't work it out what they are up to. I would be interested to know whether Mr. Osbourne is a mason, didnt Mr. Oliver and his cohorts have a problem with this organisation a few years back - The Nolan Report recommendations not being adhered to. All this crap about whether meetings took place or not - officially or unofficially - between GI and the council is a smokescreen. 'What if' scenarios were discussed, probably in detail. As a fan of 55 years I just want someone to be open and truthful with me.
Incidentally, I believe the Torbay Tory MP is on side. With the election coming up - if he wasn't, I would give Mr. Sanders another go, a true fan.
Samuel, to answer (some of) your questions: Kevin Foster MP was at the game on Monday. Sent quite a few tweets to make sure we all knew, too. I think this answers my earlier query about 'the council' being at the game. If Foster's not a 'true' fan then he's going to do a good job of pretending to be over the coming eight weeks. No worries about him in that respect. But he has no say in this, it's a council level decision. Doesn't hurt that he will be on side, though.
I'd love to be able to say that the masons don't have a grip on elected members at the council. It's easy to check which of them are, they have to declare it in the Register of Members' Interests (also an interesting place to find out other little snippets) which is published online (tiresomely, not in a single document: you have to go via each councillor's page on the TBC website).
But the leader of the Tory group (as an aside, and quite apart from any other allowances and special reponsibility allowances they might get, leaders get paid £327 pa per member, so with 25-odd Tory members, that's over £8k a year to carry out a political role. Makes me spit) IS a mason. What would also be interesting is to find out whether Messrs Mowatt and Montgomery at the council/TDA are masons. I don't think staff - even senior staff - have to declare. I've no idea about Mr Osborne.
There WERE some issues about freemasonry at TBC a few years back. Laughably, the investigation into whether the masons were overstepping the mark at the council was carried out in secret. Of course, the investigation found no fault. Naturellement. Worse still, councillors were warned against speaking out in the future. You simply couldn't make it up.
It's interesting that you've seen some plans of a proposed development at the Willows. I recall that Jon on TFF said ages ago that one of the dangers of this whole scenario is that GI now has a vehicle onto which to load debt in the form of fees paid to consultants rather than having to fund their mad scheme proposals out of their own pockets. The club can't (won't) afford squad members for a few games to help avoid relegation, but can afford tens of thousands (at the very least) for development/consultancy plans. One has to assume that Mowatt/Montgomery have seen these.
I repeat what I have been told: Mayor Oliver has not met with GI to discuss this. GI's contact with the council has been through Mowatt and Montgomery. In order to be completely fair, the mayor also declined to meet with Michael of the Trust. To me, it certainly appears on the face of it that Mayor Oliver does not want whatever decision he makes to be open to any accusations of impropriety.
That is, of course, if there is ever any decision to be actually made about selling off Plainmoor. Still no formal proposals from GI. At least regarding Plainmoor.
