Forum for residents of St Georges Park and Long Leys Road Lincoln

[john shipton]

News have been received from the Lincoln Civic Trust that the Master Plan for professional flat horse racing for the West Common was finally lodged with the City of Lincoln Council in January 2010. Karl McCartney, now Conservative MP for Lincoln, is behind the plans for horse racing. He is involved with the Lincoln Racecourse Regeneration Company Limited and the Lincoln Racecourse Trust, the two private companies set up to do this.
Mr McCartney promised many organisations he has spoken to that the plans would be made available during 2009. The plans go back to 2004 when he first made his statement about horse racing.
The LRRCL claimed on their website that the West Common was only used for grazing and owners exercising their dogs. From today, their web site is under reconstruction for reasons of another.
What the company did not mention is that the West Common is used for football, cricket, bowls, tennis, jogging and running, horse riding, kite flying, model aeroplane flying, orienteering, picnicing, golf, and a host of other activities. It is a critical natural assett and one of the few jewels remaining in Lincoln. The common is used for people to enjoy. It is an abundance of wild life and rare plants.
Investigations are being made at the moment for the reasons why City Hall and the Tory run council have failed to disclose the plans for the West Common. They have denied that the plans were submitted - until last week!
The plans were supposed to have been shelved, hence their denial. But last week City Hall retracted. They also claimed that if they had been submitted, what department dealing with the matter, was not known.
After making a number of telephone calls during last week, I finally managed to track down the plans for the West Common. It was confirmed that City Hall has had them since January. So with many calls made since from that month, many organisations in Lincoln and from outside of the city were either being fobbed off or told a different story.
On Friday, 4th June, I was told by City Hall that they had the plans. The disturbing explanation was that the plans were "document protected." In other words not to be disclosed to the public, to include the organisations which Mr McCartney spoke to about his plans for horse racing for the West Common.
All of this time the plans have been kept under wraps. The LRRCL had put a confidentality clause with the City Hall about disclosure. This was kept secret from the public, even from our ward councillors.
Because of my nature of enquiry, I was told that certain officers at City Hall are dealing with the matter of these plans.
These are John Bibby his e-mail address is john.bibby@lincoln.gov.uk or housing@lincoln.gov.uk telephone number is 01522 87320
Andrew Taylor of the Chief Executive his email address is andrew.taylor@lincoln.gov.uk telephone 01522 873300

The chairman of the Lincoln Commons Advisory Committee is councillor Helen Heath her e-mail address is helen.heath@lincoln.gov.uk telephone 01522 881291

It is a known fact that Lincoln City Council wanted to change the 1985 Lincoln Commons Act for so called change of use for the Grandstand. £100,000 was going to be put aside for this legal action. The Tory run council said that this would not happen. However, now that the UK has a new government, Karl McCartney may use Parliament to change this Act which was place there to protect not only the West Common, but the South Common and the Cowpaddle as well. There are plans still pending for a road going right across the Cowpaddle which were proposed a few years ago.

One other important apsect now occurring at City Hall is that our environment is no longer considered a prority for Lincoln. This includes the West Common and may also include the mainenance budget for all three commons in Lincoln.

It is upto residents not only in the West End, the Long Leys Road area, and throughout Lincoln what they do next. The West Common is under threat from development!

[john shipton]

I have been in contact with members of the West End Residents Association and they have passed on some valuable information.
It is believed that that following is being considered by the the City of Lincoln Council Executive...
1) to discuss the Lincoln Racecourse Regeneration Company's plans at its July meeting
2) to discuss the future of the Commons Warden and Urban Rangers positions
3) to discuss the maintenance budget of the three Lincoln's commons

John Bibby, who is the director of Housing and Community Services, is trying to get the confidentaility clause removed which the race horse company has imposed concerning their plans. The Conservative group at City Hall have had the plans all along which they denied since January until now. I have been told that they have seen the plans but the Labour councillors are being denied, which includes Neil Murray who serves on the Lincoln Commons Advisory Committee.

[Neville]

i have been left on a merry go round by officers at City Council who claim that no plans exist at the council building, plus that tory councillors who said to me that the horse racing plans has not been seen by them. who has been misleading members of the public like me?
i am b' angry that they have got away with this for some time. i have found out that karl mccartney presented the plans to city hall way back in january. they have been there since. this has been confirmed by the lincoln civic trust who asked mr mccartney about this.
the tories have been misleading other residents too with denial. now they have been found out. the website of the race horse company cannot be viewed due to being updated or whatever excuse being made.
i think the our tory mp, the tories at city council, and the race horse company are hiding something. i have been told that the plans are being discussed at the council's executive meeting next month. a public meeting has being arranged at the grandstand. so the council do know about this and have known for some time. they have been very secretive about horse racing plans. officers at city council are compiling a report.

[Jeff]

What a fiasco Lincoln City Council has become. Not only council officers do not know what they are doing, neither the correct information has been available. Having talked to several Tory councillors this year, they made it quite clear that they did not know about the Lincoln Tory MP's plans for horse racing using the West Common. I telephoned City Hall this afternoon. The plans are held by the Tory Executive. Also certain officers at City Hall know about these plans. John Bibby is one of them. In trying to get to see the plans for myself using the Freedom of Information Act, I was told that this was not possible. Other members of the public are being denied too since the article about the raceourse plans was published in the Lincolnshire Echo today. Karl McCartney in his statement showed that he is centrally involved in the project. So who is kidding whom and has been trying to hide the details? No officer at City Hall can be trusted to provide information. The Tories there have been in self denial. And Mr McCartney does not know what the left hand is doing with the right hand at Lincoln City Council. Shows no respect, no responsibilty, and certainly no accountabilty as to what has been going on. And yet all concern with horse racing for Lincoln's West Common have criticised Mr Shipton for his past comments about the situation. Mr Shipton, please continue to expose who are involved and in whatever!
See this below taken from the Echo today.Glad to see that two of our local councillors were interviewed by the newspaper.

Plans to bring horse racing back to Lincoln are to be unveiled this week

Lincoln's West Common.CONTROVERSIAL plans to bring horse racing back to Lincoln's West Common could be revealed to the public this week.

An official unveiling of the Lincoln Racecourse Regeneration Company's 200-page proposal has been tentatively pencilled in for Friday, although this could be delayed if officials feel they need more time.

They say it will offer a comprehensive look at its plans, which will not cost the taxpayer any cash.

But, as reported in the Echo, residents' groups and common land campaigners believe attempts to have professional flat racing in the city for the first time since 1964 are flawed.

Lincoln Racecourse Regeneration Company spokesman Karen Rastall told the Echo the group was wanting a "properly constructed and honest debate" during the consultation.

She added City of Lincoln Council needed to be onboard before anything could progress.

She said: "We have prepared a full consultation document as requested by the council. That was submitted back in January and we have been waiting until now to move this forward.

"We don't want the Commons Act changing and there will be no cost to the taxpayer. We think it's better to be comprehensive and open and take questions.

"At the end of the day, what we don't want is slips of information through the papers, which feed a series of myths."

A website outlining the racing plans has been created and is ready to go online. A summary of the consultation document, along with the full proposal, will also be released by the company.

The City of Lincoln Council's executive could discuss the plan at its July meeting. Officers are compiling a report.

City council director of housing and community services John Bibby said: "As part of this process, we will be seeking the opinion of the Commons Advisory Panel as well as comments from other parties."

All three city councillors for Carholme have expressed concerns about the return of racing to the area.

Labour's Karen Lee said: "I really don't think the plans are a good idea. They will have a huge impact locally."

Lib Dem Helen Heath said: "I will be interested to look at the proposals because to my mind there are a number of key issues which are of concern."

But Barrie Woods, proprietor of the Carline Guest House, in Carline Road, Lincoln, said the plans might help local businesses.

He said: "I've read people are worried about the traffic. But if the problems are ironed out, it would be good for business."

[Jeff]

I telephoned the reporter who wrote the article in the Echo about horse racing for the West Common. He told me that the Lincoln Racecourse Regeneration Company has booked the Grandstand, West Common, for a public meeting on Friday, 11th June, at 10.00am. They will be making their presentation using their plans which is a document of 200 pages. Why so early on the day just beggars belief. And so sudden, is causing concern amongst many folk. The Echo is not sure if the MP for Lincoln will be there.
Members of the Commons Advisory Panel have been deliberatley left out and have not officially been informed what is going on by either y City Hall, the MP, or the horse racing company. Its former chairman ( Tory councillor) denied at the last panel meeting that any plans had been presented at City Hall. This information was given to me by certain panel members.
I tried making a number of calls during this afternoon to speak to John Bibby at City Hall. He was not taking telephone calls.
I believe people have been mislead by those concerned at City Hall and the horse racing company are taking the micky over Friday's meeting.
How many residents from the Long Leys Road area, that includes the West End and other areas in Lincoln will go, awaits to be seen. I hope to attend and voice my opinion.

It was thought that Lincoln University had dropped their proposals of enclosing the football area on the West Common. A lockable gate will be part of the enclosure. They have been told that enclosure will be illegal under the Act of Parliament which protects the West Common. They wish to use the football pitches for their students so the Students Union is going to resurrect their proposals using an officer at City Hall to make their case. I have gleaned this information from another source.

It makes you wonder how long the West Common remains an open space for everyone to enjoy? But it appears that certain groups want the common for themselves!

[john shipton]

Interesting that officers at City Hall are not taking calls. I rang City Hall Tuesday to Friday making specific enquires about the Master Plan which has been at City Hall since January 2010. I was pasted from pillar to post.
With my last telephone call made on Friday, I was told that John Bibby would be ringing me at home on today. This was before the article appeared in the Echo. No call has been received and no messages left on my answering services.
They call this customer service and transparency. Rubbish!

[Neville]

i am blooming angry and annoyed about what lies behind the plans for horse racing. an officer told me this afternoon that there is a confidentiality clause stopping the information being released.the word is spreading all over the west end about the meeting at the grandstand this friday. dog owners are talking about it on the common. it starts at 10am but is not a public meeting. care to go and ask why the secrecy behind it all. they are determined to have their way. ah yes, long leys road could be the relief road used for race meetings. spectators could be parking outside your house for free parking and parking all over the place in the long leys road area. nice one for the llra to resolve. where are they in the matter. no comments being made from them.

[Jeff]

Well done Mr Shipton and the former jockey called Arthur Houghton to speaking out on tv and radio. See link http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/linc ... 295002.stm
Glad too of the reports of the local residents who went to the meeting. Lincolnshire Police has informed me that if horse racing starts on the West Common, visitors will seek out free parking in the West End and on Long Leys Road area. Who wants to pay £15 or so for parking set up for horse racing. The police said that they could not stop free parking in our area but could only cone Long Leys Road if Lincolnshire County Council wish to do this for horse racing meetings. The Lincoln Racecourse Regeneration Company, the Lincoln Racecourse Trust and the Conservative MP are pressing ahead with their proposals. The plans presented at City Hall have no infrastructure to be first put in place. Please note BBC Look North said 60 people were turned away from the meeting. Other people came later.
See the enclosed article from the Lincolnshire Echo and comments made:-



Anti-racecourse protestors bang doors and shout through letterbox at private meeting

Karen Rastall at the Grandstand Community Centre in Carholme Road, Lincoln.PROTESTERS outraged at controversial plans to reinstate Lincoln's racecourse gate-crashed a closed meeting to make their feelings known.

About 36 local residents hammered on the doors and shouted through the letterbox at the gathering in the Grandstand Community Centre in Carholme Road, yesterday.

The meeting was a press briefing to outline plans for transforming West Common into a professional flat-racing course – as it once was 46 years ago.

Spokesman for the Lincoln Racecourse Regeneration Company Karen Rastall, Lincoln MP Karl McCartney and freeman of the city Tony Gadd talked to the gathering.

Mrs Rastall was keen to emphasise the plans were not politically motivated.

She said: "Karl does not want such an important issue for Lincoln to become a political battleground.

She said the 1985 Lincoln Commons Act – which means the land must be available for public use – will remain.

But some residents who use the common want the scheme stopped.

Claudia Zigante, 40, of Cambridge Avenue, which backs on to the common said: "I absolutely do not want a racecourse.

"There is an amazing community on there – it's a lifestyle."

The first plans will not be published for 12 to 18 months. The proposal has gone to the City of Lincoln Council where a meeting of portfolio holders will take place.

It will then be followed by a meeting of the council's executive in August. Only then, and if councillors agree, will work start on a masterplan.

What is known is that the scheme is set to cost £12 million over five years and the company hoping to develop the plans is International Racecourse Management Ltd, who also own and run Beverley Racecourse.

The proposal is set to be discussed at the Commons Advisory Panel meeting in July.


http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk
18 Anti-racecourse protestors bang doors and shout through letterbox at private meeting
PROTESTERS outraged at controversial plans to reinstate Lincoln's racecourse gate-crashed a closed meeting to make their feelings known. ...

23 comments

[Jeff]

Hopefully this is the direct link to the Echo's web site which residents are seeking. Not sure though.

Anti-racecourse protestors bang doors...25 comments
www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk

[evanderzee]

Dear John, Dear All St George's residents. I have only just been made aware of your forum by a friend. I'm a resident in the West-End, and feel strongly about the plans for a racing course on the West Common.

In the West End We are in the process of scheduling a meeting with all residents who care on 13-7 in the Grandstand to talk about how to organise ourselves in our opposition to a race course on the West Common. Based on what you have written on your forum site, I have put in requests under the freedom of information act 2000 at both the County Council and the City Council about the following:

- Minutes of any Council meetings at which the Council discussed plans for a race course on the West Common in Lincoln.
- A copy, in full, of all documents held by the Council regarding planning application(s) for a race course on the West Common in Lincoln, or any other planning applications for changes to the West Common since January 2003.
- All relevant details regarding appeals procedures relating to planning permission changes relating to the West Common in Lincoln, containing dates for appeals procedures, mechanisms for appeal, and relevant goventment bodies or other bodies involved in such procedures.

If I have forgotten anything, it might be an idea to put in your own request (s). I'll share the info as soon as it has become available.

I'm working on a website to get ourselves more organised, but have not had the time so far (I'll try Wednesday/Thursday). As soon as we have a website, I'll let you know.

I think it is extremely important to get our voice heard; please see our recent changes of wikipedia on the race course: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Racecourse
I'll be back, all my best,

Emile

[Neville]

i have just read my echo this evening and to see if the front page story was published on their web site. found this:-

Plans to bring horse racing back to city's West Common will face major hurdles

A view over Lincoln's West Common towards the old grandstand.Serious logistical problems face plans to reinstate racing on Lincoln's West Common, according to horse racing and traffic experts.

The Lincoln Racecourse Regeneration Company announced ambitious plans to bring back racing to the city earlier this month.

But the company did not have any firm answers to concerned residents' questions on how this would be achieved.

Apart from the issue of the land being 'common land' in law, issues of infrastructure have been raised. And now it has been revealed that racing could only take place on Sundays or Bank Holiday Mondays.

This is because an estimated 15,000 vehicles per day use Carholme Road, which is Lincoln's main artery from the bypass and which separates the proposed site of the race track from the Grandstand.

Mark Welsh, area highways manager at Lincolnshire County Council, said: "The closure of Carholme Road would present a challenge and in reality it would only be possible on Sundays or Bank Holidays during the year when we could provide road closures as we do for other events such as the Christmas Market."

"Things are at a very early stage, however. If the city council and local community decided that racing should be brought back to Lincoln, we would do whatever we could to facilitate this.

"We are always keen to help with anything that promotes Lincoln, for all the benefits that would come with such an event as this. As the highways authority, it's important that we strike the right balance between this and the inconvenience to the travelling public."

The British Horseracing Association says only having Sunday and bank holiday fixtures may not be "commercially viable" because of financial constraints.

A spokesman said: "In theory a new racecourse could aim to stage fixtures just on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

"However, in practice, the scope for additional funded fixtures on Sundays and Bank Holidays is very limited.

"This is because the Levy Board (which provides the industry funding for fixtures) funds a maximum number of fixtures on any day, and there are relatively few vacancies or opportunities for racecourses to put on new fixtures on these already popular days.

"Without funding, it would be difficult for a racecourse to make many of these dates commercially viable."


their were a number of comments made on the web site which made interesting reading. one comment made was that it will cost more than £12 million pounds. could be hit and run aftewards. i googled on the great leighs racecourse built near chelmsford. this racecourse went bankrupt just after one season of horse racing. comments were made about this. more important residents must make sure that they attend the council meeting of the 14th july at city hall. i am taking bets if the lincoln racecourse generation company turns up to answer questions. what mark welsh said about racing on sundays and bank holidays would kill off trade in the city centre of lincoln. i feel that west common is under threat and needs our help to preserve and conserve this piece of land. one word sums it up called development.

[Jeff]

This is the link to read the article http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/new ... ticle.html

[danieli]

Hi —

Quick note to let you know I posted a story on The Lincolnite about the petition against the racecourse, with some interesting quotes from Karl McCartney and City Council.

Dozens sign petition against city racecourse

Dozens of Lincolnites have signed an online petition against the proposed racecourse on the West Common. The petition, titled Hands off our West Common, aims to make those “who have decision-power aware that this is not a change that we want for the local community.”

90 Lincoln residents have signed the petition at the time of writing, with more expected to join as the link to the petition is now propagated through the Twitter and Facebook social networks.

The story is quite long, so I didn't post is all here. Read the rest at http://thelincolnite.co.uk/xwudi

Feel free to share your thoughts.

[evanderzee]

Hi John, thank you so much for your information on the St George's Residents' website. Do you think it would be possible to give a wider audience access to what you have written? The information is valuable for all of us who are against a racecourse on the West Common.

The West Common Community Group has a new website, giving you information about our protests against a racecourse on the West Common:

http://www.handsoffourcommon.co.uk/

Our petition against a racecourse on the West Common

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/handsoffourwestcommoninlincoln/

has reached the 180 mark, without any advertising, and only by the spreading of it word-to-mouth.

The petition has hit the press, so we ARE making an impact, see:

http://thelincolnite.co.uk/2010/07/dozens-sign-petition-against-city-racecourse/

On July 14th 2010 the Commons Advisory Group will meet at 6pm in City Hall, committee rooms 1, 2 & 3. As far as we are aware the purpose of the meeting is to inform the Senior Executive of the City Council whether to allow the Lincoln Racecourse Regeneration Co (LRRC) to go forward with their planning permission application. Karen Rastall from LRRC will be there to give a short presentation about the Companies' plans, and to answer the committee's questions.

This is a public meeting. It would be good if we show with our presence (and banners) what we think of the plans. However, it is also important that it is possible for the meeting to proceed without interruptions, so that those within the committee who oppose those plans can ask every possible question necessary. The Commons Advisory Group consists of many different organisations that have an interest in the Common, such as the Horse Association, Golf Club representives, local councillors, and also three representatives from the City Council.

If you have any questions that you strongly believe should be asked, please contact your local councillors, send a message to Laura, or send a message to us

local.community@handsoffourcommon.co.uk

Some examples of councillors from the Carholme Ward that you may want to approach with your questions:

Helen Heath (LibDem) helen.heath@lincoln.gov.uk
Neil Murray (Labour) neilmurraymis@hotmail.com

Please formulate your questions as briefly as possible to make sure all questions can be processed before the meeting.

As a reminder: the meeting of our West Common Local Community Group that was planned at the Grandstand on 13-7-2010 will not proceed. We will get back to you with a new date. It would be good to see what comes out of the meeting on 14-7 first, so that we can further plan our activities.

We're looking forward to see you on 14-7 at 6pm at City Hall!