Edinburgh - new home required….

[Fromafar]

36 minutes ago, Nickinho said:

Well, i was all set to travel to Armadale today to finally see some speedway and then it's cancelled. Terrific. I didn't realise the Queen was a big speedway fan.

Weather wise there was no chance of speedway today anyway.

[Sir Sidney]

57 minutes ago, Nickinho said:

All you need to read is "£400,000"

What I was hoping to see was the rationale for the decision, a comparison between the two bids for the land, the differential between the bids, an evaluation of the community value etc. 

I expected there to be more than just an officer report recommending the successful bid. The successful bidder may have offered £400,000 but how much did Edinburgh speedway offer and how was that structured?

I hope that the Committee meeting was filmed and that will appear on line in due course, so that we can see the Councillor's discussion and voting. 

[Fromafar]

29 minutes ago, Sir Sidney said:

What I was hoping to see was the rationale for the decision, a comparison between the two bids for the land, the differential between the bids, an evaluation of the community value etc. 

I expected there to be more than just an officer report recommending the successful bid. The successful bidder may have offered £400,000 but how much did Edinburgh speedway offer and how was that structured?

I hope that the Committee meeting was filmed and that will appear on line in due course, so that we can see the Councillor's discussion and voting. 

Unfortunately it was a Council meeting.They just count the hands.

[Sir Sidney]

2 hours ago, Fromafar said:

Unfortunately it was a Council meeting.They just count the hands.

You don't see or go to many Council meetings I guess

[Fromafar]

4 minutes ago, Sir Sidney said:

You don't see or go to many Council meetings I guess

The decision would be “ stitched up” long before the meeting started,judging what happens at such meetings. IMO

[Sir Sidney]

4 minutes ago, Fromafar said:

The decision would be “ stitched up” long before the meeting started,judging what happens at such meetings. IMO

Nether the less, would you not be interested in seeing what Edinburgh speedway's offer was for the site,  and the justification for the decision? 

Even if the Labour councillors have a majority on the Committee and voted on party lines there is still a Council process to follow. 

[Fromafar]

3 minutes ago, Sir Sidney said:

Nether the less, would you not be interested in seeing what Edinburgh speedway's offer was for the site,  and the justification for the decision? 

Even if the Labour councillors have a majority on the Committee and voted on party lines there is still a Council process to follow. 

Yes,we all would.

[Mr Blobby]

3 hours ago, Sir Sidney said:

What I was hoping to see was the rationale for the decision, a comparison between the two bids for the land, the differential between the bids, an evaluation of the community value etc. 

I expected there to be more than just an officer report recommending the successful bid. The successful bidder may have offered £400,000 but how much did Edinburgh speedway offer and how was that structured?

I hope that the Committee meeting was filmed and that will appear on line in due course, so that we can see the Councillor's discussion and voting. 

The meeting was live to watch for the public. However it became private when it came to the land for the speedway and then become public again for the next topic. 
 

make of that what you will.

[arnieg]

9 minutes ago, Mr Blobby said:

The meeting was live to watch for the public. However it became private when it came to the land for the speedway and then become public again for the next topic. 
 

make of that what you will.

Standard procedure for commercially sensitive matters such as land sales. Nothing remotely out of the ordinary.

[pauljb]

2 hours ago, Fromafar said:

Unfortunately it was a Council meeting.They just count the hands.

Or was it the number of brown envelopes

[Ghosty]

1 minute ago, pauljb said:

Or was it the number of brown envelopes

Are there no pro Speedway Freemason's?

[Sir Sidney]

53 minutes ago, Mr Blobby said:

The meeting was live to watch for the public. However it became private when it came to the land for the speedway and then become public again for the next topic. 
 

make of that what you will.

I'm assuming that Edinburgh speedway has had feedback on why its bid was unsuccessful.  Is that the case?

Was the speedway bid for a higher or lower sum than the chosen bid? 

[gmarsbar2]

What about as an alternative, the site to the west of industrial estate,? Near the motorway. I had thought original this was the site not the forest next to a factory. 

Is there an issue with this site? 

Next to a motorway and a railway line noise isn't going to be an issue 

[Mr Blobby]

2 hours ago, Sir Sidney said:

I'm assuming that Edinburgh speedway has had feedback on why its bid was unsuccessful.  Is that the case?

Was the speedway bid for a higher or lower sum than the chosen bid? 

The bid was less, even though we racked about a lot of points for community the decision purely came down to cash in certain members of the councils eyes. Seen as a short term fix for the councils funds.

Edited September 9, 2022 by Mr Blobby

[Wee Eck]

I doubt there were brown envelopes involved. The statement from the Council was as follows:

“West Lothian Council, as a public body, has a legal duty to obtain the best price possible when selling land in a commercial transaction. This represents best value for the council, local services and the public purse.

“The funds raised from the sale of the land will be invested in local services.

“This land was marketed through June and July and offered to all interested parties for lease, sale or community use. Two offers for the land were received and it was determined that Mr Stewart’s offer to purchase the land represented the best value to the council, being the highest offer.”

 

Would they not have been open to legal challenge from Mr Stewart if they’d sold to the under bidder?

[arnieg]

28 minutes ago, Wee Eck said:

I doubt there were brown envelopes involved. The statement from the Council was as follows:

“West Lothian Council, as a public body, has a legal duty to obtain the best price possible when selling land in a commercial transaction. This represents best value for the council, local services and the public purse.

“The funds raised from the sale of the land will be invested in local services.

“This land was marketed through June and July and offered to all interested parties for lease, sale or community use. Two offers for the land were received and it was determined that Mr Stewart’s offer to purchase the land represented the best value to the council, being the highest offer.”

 

Would they not have been open to legal challenge from Mr Stewart if they’d sold to the under bidder?

Provided they could demonstrate that they had made a procedurally correct decision they ought to be fine.

Basically, it was £400,000  plus jobs created and ancillary commercial activity vs. Speedway for a handful of Monarchs fans and a lower financial return, so you can see why they came to the decision they did.

 

All this talk of brown envelopes comes across as childish and petulant and it is little wonder the views of speedway fans are given little weight if that is the best we can do.

[mikebv]

17 hours ago, arnieg said:

Standard procedure for commercially sensitive matters such as land sales. Nothing remotely out of the ordinary.

And Councillor's as part of their remit have to legally get the best return on any sales of assets for their communities.. 

That doesnt just cover financially but takes into consideration other criteria as for example, environmental issues and the well being of their constituents from their decision..

I would think that in this case given so few constituents would benefit then financial considerations were the No1 influence...

Especially given the budget cutting that will inevitably take place over the next few years from Westminster..

It does show just what a magnificent achievement Messrs Gordon and Morton did in getting the NSS built with whole hearted support from many in the local council...

Not sure in today economic climate that the NSS would have been Green lit to be honest...

[Nickinho]

22 hours ago, Fromafar said:

Unfortunately it was a Council meeting.They just count the hands.

...and the folding stuff

Edited September 10, 2022 by Nickinho

[Nickinho]

3 hours ago, arnieg said:

Provided they could demonstrate that they had made a procedurally correct decision they ought to be fine.

Basically, it was £400,000  plus jobs created and ancillary commercial activity vs. Speedway for a handful of Monarchs fans and a lower financial return, so you can see why they came to the decision they did.

 

All this talk of brown envelopes comes across as childish and petulant and it is little wonder the views of speedway fans are given little weight if that is the best we can do.

Corruption never happens in Scottish politics. Nathalie McGarry told me so 

[Lefty]

Would a name change from 'Monarchs' to 'Sturgeons' help in finding a new track?