The coalition of supporters’ groups campaigning for a public inquiry into the decision to award West Ham tenancy of the Olympic Stadium have branded the government’s response to their petition “wholly inadequate”.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport yesterday rejected the petition from fans of Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea, maintaining that West Ham’s deal for a new stadium “constituted the best available return for the taxpayer”.
The government’s response reaffirmed its belief that only with the tenancy of a major London football team could the stadium have a viable long-term future.
However the supporters’ groups, which include the initial eight London signatories and fans from six other clubs including Manchester United, Norwich and Everton, immediately condemned the government for their answer to the petition.
“This statement only recycles arguments we have previously heard from the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) and West Ham United,” said the coalition. “The facts we have uncovered need to be addressed by the Government. This statement ignores them. It is wholly inadequate.”
“The Government claims the contract has been widely scrutinised. Yet the taxpayer continues to be denied sight of it. The Government speaks of ‘profits’ flowing to the taxpayer, yet we have shown that no profit comes from West Ham’s rental because matchday overheads normally paid by clubs are in this case paid by the taxpayer.”
And the supporters do not intend to let the issue lie, warning that without the full release of the agreement between West Ham and the LLDC, “the impression of a cover up will grow”.
The DCMS have refused to release further information on the deal between the two parties, warning that releasing “commercially sensitive” information would damage the negotiating position of stadium operator Vinci.
The coalition claims to have further information which, when released, will support the case of those questioning the value for money the taxpayer has received from the deal.
Their statement added: “We are currently obtaining professional verification of new information which appears to cast further doubt on the value of the deal for the taxpayer.
“As soon as we are confident of the facts and their implications we will make a further announcement. It would surely be in the Government’s interest to release the entire contract. If it continues to fall to concerned citizens to uncover the facts, drip by drip, the impression of a cover-up will grow.”
The petition, launched last month, received the 10,000 signatures required for a response from the government within 24 hours. It currently has over 24,000 backers, some way short of the 100,000 needed to be considered for debate in Parliament.
The fourteen supporters’ trusts making up the coalition are: Arsenal, Aston Villa, The Blue Union (Everton), Canaries Trust (Norwich City), Charlton Athletic, Chelsea, Crystal Palace, The Dons Trust (AFC Wimbledon), The Foxes Trust (Leicester City), Fulham, Leyton Orient, Manchester United, QPR1st and Tottenham Hotspur.
