URGENT: PLEASE TAKE ACTION NOW – EMAIL COUNCILLORS
We are disappointed but not surprised that Officers from Oxfordshire County Council have recommended that Councillors approve a freehold sale of the Triangle to Oxford United Football Club on 19th September. However, we remain hopeful that our elected representatives, including Councillor Calum Miller (who is leading on this project), will ensure any decision is taken properly, and in line with the Oxfordshire Fair Deal Alliance’s objectives.
The basis on which Officers have made this recommendation defies logic and is clearly an affront to both the County Council’s climate commitments and democracy. The consultation process was just another part of a confusing and frustrating process which has raised more questions than it answered, and seemed designed around OUFC from the outset. The local community made its views very clear (not least, via the Kidlington Parish Poll) that residents in surrounding areas don’t want a stadium on the Triangle. OUFC failed to provide sufficient information to satisfy the many concerns affected residents have. Despite this, Officers have somehow managed to conclude from the consultation responses that the proposal should proceed even though the football club only has apparently only ‘mostly addressed’ (not fully addressed!) the County Council’s own self-proposed list of strategic priorities.
We have taken initial steps for a legal challenge, and will focus all our efforts on this if needed depending on the County Council’s Cabinet decision on 19th September.
For now, PLEASE EMAIL COUNCILLORS BEFORE 18TH SEPTEMBER. Tell them (in your own words) NOT TO PROCEED with a sale of our local Green Belt. OUFC fans are busy lobbying for support – we MUST make our voices heard too. See our campaign page for the relevant email addresses.
Further information
Agenda for Cabinet meeting on 19th September (Item 7 includes the recommendation)