Release from the Barnet Labour group:
The Labour Group of councillors have submitted a motion to January’s Full Council meeting calling on Barnet’s Conservative administration to renew efforts to help Barnet Football Club stay in the borough.
The text of the motion from Cllr Alison Moore is:
“Council is deeply saddened by the announcement that Barnet Football Club may be leaving Barnet and recognises all the work that the Club does for the benefit of the local community and young people across the Borough.
Council asks that the Leader and Cabinet do everything they can to secure the Club’s future in Barnet for the good of the local community, and all the supporters.”
Leader of the Labour Group, Cllr Alison Moore said: “The Club does great work in the local community and to help young people, and it would be a very sad loss were it to leave the borough – particularly given that the council is slashing the youth service by 75 per cent.
“Labour councillors are ready and willing to work with the council administration to try and secure the future of the Club in Barnet, and I hope the council debate will be the start of some cross-party working to that end.”
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This is excellent news. It has always been my view that the council should work, cross-party, to secure a future for the club in Barnet. Hopefully this motion can generate the sort of cross-party co-operation we need to secure the football clubs long-term future in the borough. I can only encourage Barnet fans to attend the full council meeting at 7pm on Tuesday 24th January at the Town Hall in Hendon. Details about how to get there can be found here: http://www.barnet.gov.uk/getting-to-hendon-town-hall.pdf
12/01/2011
“Council asks that the Leader and Cabinet do everything they can to secure the Club’s future in Barnet”
Well if it was so clear, why no specifics? Why don’t Labour know what is needed to keep the club ‘in Barnet’? What does ‘everything they can’ mean? The Leader doesn’t seem to know, the club don’t seem to spell it out.
What’s the point of a motion that just makes gestures?
Thank for your comment Daniel. As you know, I am not a member of the Labour group as the good people of Totteridge didn’t see fit to elect me at the last election, unfortunately. So bear that in mind; my response is my own – nothing to do with the Labour group.
I don’t think this a gesture at all. This motion provides the Council with an opportunity to debate the future of Barnet Football Club and whether that resides in Barnet or not. If democracy is not about debate and discussion of important issues, what is it about?
It seems clear to me from what Alison Moore has said that this is an opportunity for debate which can hopefully foster a culture of cross-party co-operation on the issue to work out suitable solutions to the problems currently faced.
I think it is perfectly sensible not to be prescriptive in motions that are designed to foster cross-party co-operation on issues, as it provides far more scope for working together.
I’m sure you agree, being a level-headed, reasonable sort of fellow