Posted this on the millhouse page on Facebook

The masterplan was unanimously approved at this morning's Cabinet meeting, as was the appointment of the preferred developer, Gus Robinson's. A decision on the transfer/sale could not be made today due to the fact that Councillor Cath Hill and myself both hold season tickets and would therefore have a conflict of interest.

That decision has had to be referred to the full Council for them to decide. There is a meeting in April but the Chief Solicitor has expressed concerns about the decision being taken during the purdah period (the lead up to an election when no political activity is supposed to happen as part of general Council business.)

It will be up to the political groups as to when they want to make the decision. If it isn't April, there will be an extraordinary meeting early in May. Personally, I don't see any reason why it can't be decided in April. Councillors who feel theycannot make a decision because there is an election looming should really think twice about being a councillor.

The first step of what could be an extremely exciting period of development was reached and passed with flying colours. Let's hope the next step is reached with as much positivity as the first one.

Stuart

Ace!!!!

oops

Well done Mr Mayor ad thanks for keeping us up to date.

We need to keep the campaign going also people for every negative letter to the mail we need 3 positive letters the fight will not be over till its signed.

Its great that he is keeping us up to date, in the past it has always seemed a bit quiet on the council side and we usually hear developments from IOR

Good stuff, another hurdle cleared.

Good stuff Mr Mayor! What about sticking your neck out for keeping the hospital in the centre of Hartlepool as well?

Update posted tonight

Just to clear up any confusion around my "conflict of interest":

The guidelines around this say that public perception is as important as actually having a direct interest. In other words, if the public might perceive me or any other councillor to have an interest in a decision, whether we do or not, it would be subject to challenge, legally or otherwise.
No season ticket holder stands to personally gain anything from this particular transaction but there is case law concerning Liverpool FC who put in for planning permission to extend the Cop (I think). The Council's planning committee passed the plans but it was later found that a number of the Councillors involved in the decision were season ticket holders and the judge ruled the decision illegal due to the PERCEIVED conflict of interest.
It is up to each individual councillor to declare their interest and absence themselves from a decision and in this case, because I am a season ticket holder and especially due to my previous connections with the club, I reckon I would find it pretty hard to argue that people would not perceive me to have an interest. I hope that clear things up

Stuart

Also the reason it has taken so long is due to the fact that, in the past, it has always be considered in isolation as a simple land transaction. The club's valuation and the Council's valuation did not come close at any point so a deal was never reached.

The council made a decision to sell the ground in principle more than three years ago as long as the club made a reasonable offer. No offer met favour but that decision still stands and I reckon that this masterplan can be deemed as more than a reasonable solution to the situation.