SUFC: The Future Consortium and Ron exchange contracts... so when will they be signed??

[defender05]

I'm no expert but in regards to the DD but would this not have been done when the original plans were put in place? The only change is more flats instead of the stadium.

As regards for the council not having any money didn't they admit they had £10million for the seaway project just sitting there as it never got started.

 

[dusterman]

I'm no expert but in regards to the DD but would this not have been done when the original plans were put in place? The only change is more flats instead of the stadium.

As regards for the council not having any money didn't they admit they had £10million for the seaway project just sitting there as it never got started.

More like 90m I thought.

 

[Holy Joe]

DD wouldn't have been started until Dec 23rd when the agreement was made. And it would be reasonable to imagine that it wasn't a particularly productive period over Christmas.

Not sure about that.

Minutes and reports from the council meeting on 9 Nov suggest work to start as soon as costs of amending the contracts from Ron was received (may be that's the delay!). No mention of requiring exchange of contracts between consortium and Ron - on the contrary it seems to suggest the dependency is the other way around - sale of club won't happen until this agreement is reached - and I think that was the position - remember the target date of 17 Nov.

What seemed to change was that the club was about to die ahead of the xmas period and so the consortium 'went for it'


Incidentally the report is quite interesting. Changes are not just moving housing from RH to FF. The financials are changing as well - leases increasing to 55yrs for example. I really hope council can agree to the changes, but the more thats changing the more chance the council cannot agree

https://democracy.southend.gov.uk/documents/s59698/Report%20of%20Exec%20Director%20Envt%20and%20Place%20and%20Exec%20Director%20Fin%20and%20Resources.pdf

 

[Holy Joe]

Next full council meeting scheduled for Thursday 21 March.

Cabinet meetings appear to be most Mondays - but none are scheduled after 4 March

 

[Liam AAS]

Not sure about that.

Minutes and reports from the council meeting on 9 Nov suggest work to start as soon as costs of amending the contracts from Ron was received (may be that's the delay!). No mention of requiring exchange of contracts between consortium and Ron - on the contrary it seems to suggest the dependency is the other way around - sale of club won't happen until this agreement is reached - and I think that was the position - remember the target date of 17 Nov.

What seemed to change was that the club was about to die ahead of the xmas period and so the consortium 'went for it'


Incidentally the report is quite interesting. Changes are not just moving housing from RH to FF. The financials are changing as well - leases increasing to 55yrs for example. I really hope council can agree to the changes, but the more thats changing the more chance the council cannot agree

https://democracy.southend.gov.uk/documents/s59698/Report%20of%20Exec%20Director%20Envt%20and%20Place%20and%20Exec%20Director%20Fin%20and%20Resources.pdf

SCC & The Martins agreed heads of terms on whatever it is they're actually doing on (or slightly before) 23rd of Dec. This, in turn, gave the consortium the confidence that they needed to exchange contracts and pump some money into the club ahead of an assumed completion.

They had already put ~£700k into SUFC prior to Christmas (starting in October to pay HMRC) and are now in for £1.5m by their own admission.

The council's agreement in principle with the Martins regarding the development of RH and FF would have triggered a DD process. That is seemingly yet to be completed and consequently the completion of the deal to purchase the club is giving everyone blue balls.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Next full council meeting scheduled for Thursday 21 March.

Cabinet meetings appear to be most Mondays - but none are scheduled after 4 March

Perhaps Anna can influence an emergency meeting, for this topic only. If the City's football club is as important to them as they say, wouldn't they want to help the consortium take control officially ASAP. They can't all be that busy that they can't squeeze in a meeting. If it's just down to the DD being completed, then this could be the longest taking DD on record. Sometimes, people need a nudge. Otherwise things get put on the back shelf, or done when they fancy doing it, with no urgency.

 

[wakes123]

I've now received two replies from one of my local Councillors. I've anonymized them with just the text visible now. Potentially good news!!

Thanks for this

I have forwarded this to our Group leader for his attention and am sure your comments will be noted;

Please be assured that everyone here is trying to get this matter concluded as soon as ever possible

Best wishes


Hello again

I have spoken to the leader of the Council and I understand that he had a meeting

with our new Chief Executive, Ron and Jack Martin and Justin Rees on Friday. They all

agreed to the DD process, which is being paid for by the Martins, and this is all happening very speedily

We are hoping for a resolution before May

Best wishes

With experience from the council and Ron, 'hoping' for is nailed on for after May. Incredibly frustrating that this could drag on into pre season.

Thanks for the update though RHB. It's good to get some information on this directly from the council.

 

[Holy Joe]

With experience from the council and Ron, 'hoping' for is nailed on for after May. Incredibly frustrating that this could drag on into pre season.

Thanks for the update though RHB. It's good to get some information on this directly from the council.

Do we know if getting the FF training ground ready for preseason is dependent on sale being completed?

 

[Sammy Shrimper]

Not sure about that.

Minutes and reports from the council meeting on 9 Nov suggest work to start as soon as costs of amending the contracts from Ron was received (may be that's the delay!). No mention of requiring exchange of contracts between consortium and Ron - on the contrary it seems to suggest the dependency is the other way around - sale of club won't happen until this agreement is reached - and I think that was the position - remember the target date of 17 Nov.

What seemed to change was that the club was about to die ahead of the xmas period and so the consortium 'went for it'


Incidentally the report is quite interesting. Changes are not just moving housing from RH to FF. The financials are changing as well - leases increasing to 55yrs for example. I really hope council can agree to the changes, but the more thats changing the more chance the council cannot agree

https://democracy.southend.gov.uk/documents/s59698/Report%20of%20Exec%20Director%20Envt%20and%20Place%20and%20Exec%20Director%20Fin%20and%20Resources.pdf

Also interesting to see that the Council has wised up to who they’re dealing with by asking for their advisers’ fees to be paid in advance before the work commenced!
That will have delayed matters while Ron looked for the monies.

 

[kentblues]

There is mention suggesting this will be costing the council a significant sum- my understanding is they are not in any way funding any of the development, rather agreeing to lease the residential units at £x per unit and then rent on as social housing? The rent covering the lease costs, with then ownership transferring to SBC at the end of of the lease?

So the council are not needing to find up front funds for this or buying any of the residential units up front. Why DD takes 4-5 months who knows but had it not been for the consortium biting the bullet the club would have gone into administration, and probably we would have been less relaxed about the funereal progress..

I’m sure someone will point out if (or more likely where) my understanding is incorrect

 

[tommy tucker]

Do we know if getting the FF training ground ready for preseason is dependent on sale being completed?

Ithought work was going to be complet on the new training ground As fossetts would be demolished .

 

[Holy Joe]

Ithought work was going to be complet on the new training ground As fossetts would be demolished .

Boots and laces is to be demolished

Yes work needs to be completed at the training ground - that's my question, will the consortium fund the works required if they still don't own the club by the the time it needs to be started. I'm guessing but if it needs to be ready by late June/early July work will need to start March/April?

 

[Smiffy]

Boots and laces is to be demolished

Yes work needs to be completed at the training ground - that's my question, will the consortium fund the works required if they still don't own the club by the the time it needs to be started. I'm guessing but if it needs to be ready by late June/early July work will need to start March/April?

It's a good question. I imagine it will cost a **** load of money to fix the training ground. The pitches themselves look dead and obviously the site needs water and electricity connecting, plus the portakabins as a minimum. That will be more eye watering sums for the Consortium when they currently own nothing.

 

[in the know]

The most recent comments I heard about this was a couple of weeks ago. That the guy representing the firm that laid the new pitches had revisited and actually couldnt believe the state of what they had become and although theyd been paid, so no issues in that respect, just couldnt understand why such expensive things were not looked after which was of minimal cost and effort and left to rot.
Heard the plan is to relay some or all of them and have them ready for next season.

 

[Holy Joe]

The most recent comments I heard about this was a couple of weeks ago. That the guy representing the firm that laid the new pitches had revisited and actually couldnt believe the state of what they had become and although theyd been paid, so no issues in that respect, just couldnt understand why such expensive things were not looked after which was of minimal cost and effort and left to rot.
Heard the plan is to relay some or all of them and have them ready for next season.

I was just thinking a similar thing - why on earth did Ron start the training ground construction when it must've been obvious he wasn't in a position to start the housing. What a waste of money

 

[annie1954]

I’m sure at the cliffs night it was said the training ground would be open June/ July for the players reporting back for pre season training

 

[shrimper61]

I’m sure at the cliffs night it was said the training ground would be open June/ July for the players reporting back for pre season training

Correct, Tom said the plan was to have the New training ground open, for the beginning of pre season training.

 

[Holy Joe]

I’m sure at the cliffs night it was said the training ground would be open June/ July for the players reporting back for pre season training

Yes, but is that dependent on the consortium owning the club?

 

[united we stand]

Not sure about that.

Minutes and reports from the council meeting on 9 Nov suggest work to start as soon as costs of amending the contracts from Ron was received (may be that's the delay!). No mention of requiring exchange of contracts between consortium and Ron - on the contrary it seems to suggest the dependency is the other way around - sale of club won't happen until this agreement is reached - and I think that was the position - remember the target date of 17 Nov.

What seemed to change was that the club was about to die ahead of the xmas period and so the consortium 'went for it'


Incidentally the report is quite interesting. Changes are not just moving housing from RH to FF. The financials are changing as well - leases increasing to 55yrs for example. I really hope council can agree to the changes, but the more thats changing the more chance the council cannot agree

https://democracy.southend.gov.uk/documents/s59698/Report%20of%20Exec%20Director%20Envt%20and%20Place%20and%20Exec%20Director%20Fin%20and%20Resources.pdf

Thank you for the link.

Very helpful/ interesting

 

[annie1954]

Yes, but is that dependent on the consortium owning the club?

Send Tom Lawrence an e mail and ask him please post his answer on shrimperzone