Steve Hayes vows to 'set record straight' over stadium plan for Wycombe Wanderers and London Wasps (From This Is Local London)

Steve Hayes vows to 'set record straight' over stadium plan for Wycombe Wanderers and London Wasps

4:31pm Wednesday 3rd March 2010 in

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WANDERERS and Wasps boss Steve Hayes today said he would ‘set the record straight’ over ‘untrue’ allegations about stadium plans after it was confirmed he has reached a ‘collaboration agreement’ with council chiefs.

The club owner spoke after more than a month of debate about controversial plans that would see Wycombe District Council pay for studies into the scheme – and sell its land to help build the stadium.

Mr Hayes told The Bucks Free Press: “There has been a lot of information that has been banded around that isn’t true.

“We want to set the record straight and get a press release out in the coming weeks.”

Yet he declined to comment on the plans until then.

Minutes of a meeting from which The Bucks Free Press was excluded from last week show Wycombe District Council has entered into a ‘collaboration agreement’ with Mr Hayes’s Wycombe Sports Development Ltd.

Other facilities such as indoor sports are planned. The move has caused controversy as some feel WDC should not be helping a private business.

Yet the minute says this is ‘without final commitment by the council’ for the final project, which would move the club from Adams Park at Sands.

Cabinet members also approved the release of £500,000 of council cash to fund investigations into where the stadium should go and a major public consultation.

Mr Hayes said: “I am very pleased that we have got over this hurdle and we will be working with the council and The Bucks Free Press over the coming weeks to get out a detailed press release.”

Deputy council leader Councillor Tony Green said today: “It is the first stepping stone on the path to actually producing a stadium. It is not committing either side.”

The Conservative said a range of locations would be looked at. The council is understood to favour Wycombe Air Park at Booker, which it owns.

Yet Liberal Democrat Councillor Trevor Snaith hit out. He said: “I believe that the stadium is a commercial venture by a private individual and as such that private individual, if he loves the town and Wanderers and Wasps so much, should make that investment himself.”

And he said the £140,000 earmarked for the study this year could have been used to freeze WDC’s share of April’s council tax bill.

The authority voted through a 1.75 per cent increase last week, a rise of £2.22 for the average bill to £126.99. The Lib Dems said £148,000 would freeze its bill but were voted down.

Cllr Snaith said: “It could have offset the increase in council tax we are all having to bear this coming year.”

He said the party favoured putting the stadium at the Abbey Barn South site, off Daws Hill Lane, with a re-located Wycombe Sports Centre and its neighbouring running track.

The council wants to move the running track to Hazlemere so it can sell the land to finance the rebuilding of the sports centre. Abbey Barn is earmarked for housing – but Cllr Green said ‘all sites’ would be looked at.

The minutes say the £500,000 is needed for ‘an external law firm’ and ‘financial and other consultants’ (see link, bottom of story for full minute).

When the press and public were re-admitted to last week’s cabinet meeting, Council leader Councillor Lesley Clarke said cabinet members had made a ‘momentous decision’.

The BFP was excluded under local government laws as the discussion concerned the financial business of the council and Wycombe Sports Development Ltd.

It comes after we reported today how Lib Dem council member Steve Guy is to ‘ballot’ Wanderers fans at Saturday’s home game against Carlisle.

Click the links below for more on the scheme.