Gedling‘s MP is demanding extra funding for local councils to avoid cuts to services.
Tom Randall is one of seven Nottinghamshire Conservative MPs and one independent to sign a letter to Nottingham City Council which calls for a swift end to the rent row with Nottingham Forest over the City Ground.
The City Ground is sited on land leased from the city council and there is only 33 years left on the current deal.
Talks about an extension have stalled after Nottingham City Council demanded that the current £250,000 rent be increased to around £1m.
The council said it remains committed to further negotiations and hopes to ‘find the best way forward’, a spokesperson said.
Nottingham Forest’s club chairman Tom Cartledge said unless there was “significant progress” they may have to “look elsewhere”.
Forest have said they need to extend the lease if they are going to invest in expanding the ground’s capacity.
In the letter, the MPs asked why the council was ‘destabilising’ one of the city’s ‘biggest assets’ and also warned they were ‘sleepwalking into another disaster’ following the recent financial problems with the Broadmarsh, Robin Hood Energy and Nottingham Castle.
They wrote: “Forest matters to the whole of our county and these negotiations have drifted for far too long. We ask you to step in and now lead these negotiations to a swift conclusion.
“Both we and the club understand the transformative power sport can have on people’s lives and the importance of sport to a thriving economy. It shouldn’t take the county’s MPs to have to remind you of this.”
Mr Randall shared the letter on his Facebook page and commented: “Like many Forest fans across Gedling, I am concerned to hear that the City Council are stalling lease talks with Nottingham Forest over the City Ground.
“I and fellow Nottinghamshire MPs have today written to the City Council leader asking for a swift resolution to the talks so that NFFC can remain at its rightful home at the City Ground.”
A spokesperson for Nottingham City Council said: “Any proposed new terms or agreements would need to be brought back to the executive board for consideration and approval.”
Jumping on the bandwagon – pencil head couldn’t give a monkeys
Given the price of a player, renting the ground at £250k for the year doesn’t seem a big amount. Perhaps the rent does need to go up?
That’s like saying council rent should go up for those tenants taking a holiday abroad. If you can afford a foreign holiday you can afford a big rent rise.
Ueless MP thinks he jump on a bandwagon.
MP thinks he can con fans to thinking he knows or cares anything about football .
funny how a football club can afford millions on players (no questions asked by fans etc) but cant afford a rent rise and are trying to worm their way out of it thru guilt tripping the council….
yes it does help bring revenue into the city but then so to do many other businesses, and if you’re not a football fan; it brings as much bother as it does revenue (parking in the area on match day, drunken hooligan antics, noise, litter extra policing etc) .
the owner is a multi millionaire and can surely afford to keep his beloved team in his supposed beloved city? just dig a little deeper into those pockets….
Or jog on out of town, you need the city as much as the city needs you…
Close t’ door on the way out!