Whelan offers to talk with MEP over JJB Stadium
A Wigan Euro MP has continued to voice concerns about the running of the JJB Stadium, following a football/rugby ground-sharing row.
Brian Simpson MEP asked questions of the company that runs the stadium after their unpopular decision to move Wigan Warriors' crucial play-off clash with Bradford to Widnes.
At the time Mr Simpson, a passionate Warriors fan, joined other supporters in voicing frustration at the move, made because Latic's Premier League fixture with Sunderland took place less than 24 hours later.
The decision was taken by Dave Whelan, owner of Wigan Football Company Ltd, which controls the stadium, and whose company Whelco Holdings Ltd owns a controlling 85% of the stadium company shares.
Wigan Council owns a 15% stake in the company, trading as the JJB Stadium, given it by Mr Whelan, and have the right to appoint a director to the board. But in eight years the board of directors has never met, although as a private company limited by shares the company constitution does not specify when meetings should take place.
Mr Simpson said: "I accept they are doing nothing illegal but it does seem strange to have a board of a company that has never met in eight years.
"I know that Wigan Council has requested, and has tried to get, board meetings a number of times without success."
Mr Simpson added: "How does the council look after the interests of council taxpayers, who own 15% of this company, when the board never
meets?"
Click next page for more ...Dr David Smith, the council's executive director of business support services, currently represents the authority on the JJB Stadium board of directors.
He said: "The absence of formal Board meetings is not ideal. I have
sought to hold regular informal meetings with the management, particularly in relation to finance, to seek to protect local taxpayers' interests.
"The minority shareholding which the council holds reflects the level of investment made by the parties in the building of the stadium and, therefore, as a minority shareholder the council's influence is limited.
"The council's investment was in the form of land ownership not cash."
When the decision to move the game was taken, the Premier League was quick to deny it had a rule banning two games taking place on the same pitch in a 24-hour period. Back-to-back games had been played at the stadium before.
However, after criticism of the pitch towards the end of last season, Mr Whelan was anxious to avoid compromising the surface.
He insisted the real reason for the play-off switch was because he had not been given enough notice. Responding to the MEP's questions Mr
Whelan said: "This fella, Mr Simpson, he has never phoned me, he has never met me, so I think it's time he gave me a call.
"We can arrange a meeting to discuss whatever he wants."
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Thursday 02 September 2010
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