Chase Lodge playing fields - The hype and the truth

This week there has been some hysterical coverage in the local press of the proposed transfer of Chase Lodge playing fields from Camden Council to Camden Community Football and Sports Association. Local Conservative Councillor John Hart has been vocally opposing the plan and talking about plans to "tarmac over the green belt" and "put a stadium on the site". He has been talking about the plans to relocate Kentish Town FC to the site. Lets just take a step back from Mr Harts hysteria and look at a few facts.

Firstly, Kentish Town FC is not Arsenal. They are in the South Midlands League Premier Division. they have an average attendance of less than 150 people. To accomodate this number of people, you don't need a stadium, you need a small clubhouse with a tea stall.Most shockingly, where do you think they play at the moment? They play at Copthall stadium and my guess is you didn't even know they were there. Now knowing this fact, had Mr Hart chosen to be present all the facts, he would have mentioned this. There is not traffic gridlock on the roads when Kentish Town FC play. They have submitted no plans for a stadium. If they do it will be subject to the normal planning process and the Conservative Council control the planning committee so they will have the final say. Is Mr Hart saying he doesn't trust his fellow colleagues to do the right thing?

One interesting thing about Mr Harts campaign is that by taking his stance, he now has a vested interest in the issue, so he has barred himself from the decision making process under Council rules. Has he done this as a deliberate ploy? In other words he's got himself out of the pickle of having to follow official Tory policy in Barnet on this proposal. It is quite noticable that Mr Hart hasn't chosen to involve his fellow Tory candidates in the campaign. Given that he's well known and they are not, why could this be? It would be a great chance to introduce them to the people of Mill Hill

For the absence of doubt, lets consider a few issues Mr Hart neglected to mention.

1. It is the official policy of Conservative Barnet Council to sell off it's playing fields. Unlike Camden Council, this usually isn't to charities which promot sport and football.

2. Barnet Council imposed a massive increase in rent on Mill Hill Village Football club this year, nearly forcing the club out of existence. To cope with the rise, Mill Hill Village have had to step up commercial activities and cut community work, just to balance the books.

3. The Deputy Mayor, Hugh Rayner is known for his anti football stance.

4. Any increase in usage of Chase Lodge playing fields for football is entirely due to the council selling off or closing other local pitches.

5. Barnet Council agreed to the Powerleague facility next door, which doesn't have adequate parking on site. This has resulted in most of the football related disruption locally. Mr Hart has done nothing and said nothing about his own Tory councils negligence in this matter.

If and when any plans are announced and submitted we should judge them on their relative merits. That is the way the law works and that is the way things should be done. There is only one reason Mr Hart has been scaremongering. He knows that he's likely to lose his seat on the Council in May so he's using classic "wind up and scare" tactics on the doorsteps of local voters.

Mr Hart may think he's clever, I think some people might interpret this as rather shifty, dishonest and desperate, as he's totally ignored other local green belt development issues which have been caused by promenent Conservative supporters. I hope local voters see through these statements.