Arbour park

[DonnyNo6]

I got doorstopped yesterday by one of the local Tory candidates who wanted to know all about myself and my voting habits etc as they do.

Now just to be clear I'm not aligned to any party they all do my head in and are nothing but self serving self promoting clowns who all look after their own but I know politics is important and I make a call each election time as I see fit so to speak.

I did however ask him at length about their manifesto which he had in his hand and asked him to explain about what they meant around the STFC and Arbour Park subject?  He didn't have a clue about any of it, totally oblivious so I asked why then was it in there and why is his party on about it if they don't know anything about it, couldn't give me an answer. 

I then asked when he or any of his party were at Arbour Park, came to a match or spoke to the club and again no answer and no idea.

I said given Labour's awful record on all things Slough you've lost loads of potential votes by having that stated on your manifesto and he simply walked off.....

[Reading Rebel]

1 hour ago, DonnyNo6 said:

I got doorstopped yesterday by one of the local Tory candidates who wanted to know all about myself and my voting habits etc as they do.

Now just to be clear I'm not aligned to any party they all do my head in and are nothing but self serving self promoting clowns who all look after their own but I know politics is important and I make a call each election time as I see fit so to speak.

I did however ask him at length about their manifesto which he had in his hand and asked him to explain about what they meant around the STFC and Arbour Park subject?  He didn't have a clue about any of it, totally oblivious so I asked why then was it in there and why is his party on about it if they don't know anything about it, couldn't give me an answer. 

I then asked when he or any of his party were at Arbour Park, came to a match or spoke to the club and again no answer and no idea.

I said given Labour's awful record on all things Slough you've lost loads of potential votes by having that stated on your manifesto and he simply walked off.....

Probably armed to the gills with answers on the cost of living crisis but not a clue on anything else.

Jobsworths at their finest. 

[Ian g f]

Looking forward to when they knock on my door 

[Reading Rebel]

1 hour ago, Ian g f said:

Looking forward to when they knock on my door 

Give em hell 😅

[Shredding Green]

Bear in mind the level of competence with which that leaflet was written. They can't even spell "cemetery" correctly despite it being a word in the highlighted heading.

As for their comments about Arbour Park, they show little knowledge of it's current use and even if the use was further widened, I don't think any other club or organisation would have anything like the significance of Slough Town FC and the other seventeen football teams that it supports.

Edited April 20, 2023 by Shredding Green

[DonnyNo6]

1 hour ago, Shredding Green said:

Bear in mind the level of competence with which that leaflet was written. They can't even spell "cemetery" correctly despite it being a word in the highlighted heading.

As for their comments about Arbour Park, they show little knowledge of it's current use and even if the use was further widened, I don't think any other club or organisation would have anything like the significance of Slough Town FC and the other seventeen football teams that it supports.

I've just been debating that with another of their 'people' who again seems totally ignorant to what goes on at Arbour Park.

I mentioned the event the other day hosted by the club and they had no idea which I said back, that's the total point of what I'm saying, you've no idea what takes place.

This thing about 'Field Sports' is also rubbish, the surface is designed primarily for football, possibly rugby if you wanted, if you play hockey/cricket as examples you'll ruin the surface, its not designed for that, I've got one I look after at my school which is a FIFA Pro surface you're not even supposed to walk on them with flat soles never mind use hockey sticks or bats on.

[Rebel Kay]

I too had an exchange with the former Labour Mayor of Slough who is now a Conservative (figure that one out) on my doorstep. She too had no idea what I was talking about when I asked what was meant by the Arbour Park comment and tried to just dish the dirt on the Labour party (which she has represented for many years).

Another candidate posted in the village group on facebook about the council assets including Slough Town FC.  He was swiftly corrected and educated, but by that time the moderators had removed all political posts and his edited version and apology never saw the light of day.

 

 

 

[Ian g f]

The full results aren't in yet but the Tories are doing well 🤬

[Reading Rebel]

10 minutes ago, Ian g f said:

The full results aren't in yet but the Tories are doing well 🤬

2-4 the latest.

[BFR]

Labour loses council to NOC.

 

Conservatives 21, Labour 18, Lib Dems 3

Swindlehurst lost his seat

[Nathan]

Latest budget proposals include a 25-year lease at Arbour Park for Slough Town Football Club, with the club also responsible for maintenance costs. (https://www.sloughexpress.co.uk/gallery/slough/192918/council-tax-bills-set-to-rise-by-4-99-per-cent-for-slough-residents.html). I also understand they're proposing to put the rent up by £15000 a year. 

Apologies for resurrecting an old thread, but I didn't think it warranted a new thread. 

Edited December 19, 2023 by Nathan

[GlenSTFC]

36 minutes ago, Nathan said:

Latest budget proposals include a 25-year lease at Arbour Park for Slough Town Football Club, with the club also responsible for maintenance costs. (https://www.sloughexpress.co.uk/gallery/slough/192918/council-tax-bills-set-to-rise-by-4-99-per-cent-for-slough-residents.html). I also understand they're proposing to put the rent up by £15000 a year. 

Apologies for resurrecting an old thread, but I didn't think it warranted a new thread. 

That would be extremely harsh to increase the rent by that much plus say we have full responsibility for maintenance of the ground. Then again what options do we have, I guess the council know they have us in their pocket and can make outrageous demands.

[GarySTFC]

And I would suspect as well that will allow the council to avoid the expense of having to relay the pitch which will be due in a few years time. Hopefully, should the details in the report be accurate and come to fruition, it will give the club further freedom to adapt the ground as required as we've seen with the recent improvements to the club shop space. 

[DonnyNo6]

9 hours ago, GarySTFC said:

And I would suspect as well that will allow the council to avoid the expense of having to relay the pitch which will be due in a few years time. Hopefully, should the details in the report be accurate and come to fruition, it will give the club further freedom to adapt the ground as required as we've seen with the recent improvements to the club shop space. 

Ideally they say every ten years depending on the volume of use, regular crumb infill and decompaction taking place each year as to relaying the carpet.

I'd imagine for the quality of the same surface to the same grading about £100,000+, I've got one I look after that's FIFA Pro and we've got about another two years or so until we get to that.

Similar time frame to Arbour park, think it was laid early 2016.

[Curtis]

14 hours ago, Nathan said:

Latest budget proposals include a 25-year lease at Arbour Park for Slough Town Football Club, with the club also responsible for maintenance costs.
I also understand they're proposing to put the rent up by £15000 a year. 

Isn’t this exactly what the new owners have been trying to negotiate? So, presumably very good news for the club.

If it is for exclusive use then would tie in with the extension of the academy teams announced the other day:-

https://www.sloughtownfc.net/article/3152/Club-announces-expansion-of-Academy
 

I would just hope any increase is inclusive of business rates because if not they would likely be horrendous.

[Reading Rebel]

3 hours ago, DonnyNo6 said:

Ideally they say every ten years depending on the volume of use, regular crumb infill and decompaction taking place each year as to relaying the carpet.

I'd imagine for the quality of the same surface to the same grading about £100,000+, I've got one I look after that's FIFA Pro and we've got about another two years or so until we get to that.

Similar time frame to Arbour park, think it was laid early 2016.

Costs I've seen to relay 3G pitch's are between 175k and 275k. 

[Reading Rebel]

14 hours ago, Nathan said:

Latest budget proposals include a 25-year lease at Arbour Park for Slough Town Football Club, with the club also responsible for maintenance costs. (https://www.sloughexpress.co.uk/gallery/slough/192918/council-tax-bills-set-to-rise-by-4-99-per-cent-for-slough-residents.html). I also understand they're proposing to put the rent up by £15000 a year. 

Apologies for resurrecting an old thread, but I didn't think it warranted a new thread. 

Doubling the rent and being responsible for maintenance costs which could include re laying the 3G would be a ludicrous increase in costs.

[DonnyNo6]

39 minutes ago, Reading Rebel said:

Costs I've seen to relay 3G pitch's are between 175k and 275k. 

Possibly, will depend on how it is underneath when it comes up etc.

I've been quoted roughly £100k if there's no damage or further work needed underneath. 

[Nathan]

6 hours ago, Curtis said:

Isn’t this exactly what the new owners have been trying to negotiate? So, presumably very good news for the club.

If it is for exclusive use then would tie in with the extension of the academy teams announced the other day:-

https://www.sloughtownfc.net/article/3152/Club-announces-expansion-of-Academy
 

I would just hope any increase is inclusive of business rates because if not they would likely be horrendous.

 

5 hours ago, Reading Rebel said:

Doubling the rent and being responsible for maintenance costs which could include re laying the 3G would be a ludicrous increase in costs.

According to the Council's latest Estate Strategy Agenda (18/12/2023):

"Arbour Park is the only Community Leisure asset showing a current net loss per annum. The site offers limited activity and benefit to the local community currently and there is a clear opportunity to maximize the social value of this asset. This will likely be achieved through enhanced specialised management of the asset which requires improvement. Lease negotiations are currently being concluded with a community organisation." (my emphasis)

According to the same document, Arbour Park's Gross Annual Income (external) is £175,750. If these figures are accurate, it sounds like the Council are getting jittery over owning and maintaining the ground.

 

[GlenSTFC]

1 hour ago, Nathan said:

 

According to the Council's latest Estate Strategy Agenda (18/12/2023):

"Arbour Park is the only Community Leisure asset showing a current net loss per annum. The site offers limited activity and benefit to the local community currently and there is a clear opportunity to maximize the social value of this asset. This will likely be achieved through enhanced specialised management of the asset which requires improvement. Lease negotiations are currently being concluded with a community organisation." (my emphasis)

According to the same document, Arbour Park's Gross Annual Income (external) is £175,750. If these figures are accurate, it sounds like the Council are getting jittery over owning and maintaining the ground.

 

But could that mean they sell it on meaning our future might be at risk?