At the North East Lincolnshire Council Question Time event  at the Whitgift Theatre on 15^th September, GTST Chairman Dave Otter asked the community service orientated panel what  the Council planned to do to assist the Club with its relocation plans in the light of the recent Henry Boot decision.

North East Lincolnshire Care Trust Plus chairperson Val Waterhouse commented that the football club is more than just an organisation that plays football matches. It is also a community hub and a partner in engaging young people ( 14,000 have benefited from club schemes to date).

Regarding the approval of the Henry Boot project, Mrs Waterhouse said that everyone in the local community, and not just the football club, now had to get their thinking caps on and look at what will make the stadium project a viable community hub. She stated that retail is an important part of it but why can’t it also be a social enterprise?

Given the apparent reluctance of other panel members to comment, Dave Otter  expressed his disappointment that his question had been answered with another question, highlighted the importance of the club to the local community and asked again what the council would do to help.

Deputy Council Leader Keith Brookes  supported Val Waterhouse’s view that the football club is not just a business but also provides services for the community and believed that because of this it should be treated differently. He said that the officers  needed to get round the table and have a “can do” attitude to the relocation, rather than saying “there’s a problem with this.”

Councillor Dave Boylen then asked the panel directly, “Will you help the football club?”

Council Leader  Andrew  De Freitas replied that the Council could not make silly promises. Yes, they could help with applications for external funding for the project, but he didn’t think that the council could help with financing the project directly.

Councillor Brookes  answered the former Town player’s question by saying,  “That is the policy of the Council.”

MP Austin Mitchell meanwhile commented that Council should facilitate but can’t finance the relocation and that better re-distribution of TV money is required so that more of it gets to the roots of football.