Everton Create Their Own Residents Group

[Louis]

TESCO and Everton FC are setting up a residents’ group in the hope of winning support for their planned move to Kirkby.

 

Councillors have asked the two organisations to organise liaison meetings after being bombarded with questions and criticism of the £400m project.

 

About 20 representatives of community groups will be invited to attend, with the idea being that information about the Destination Kirkby scheme will filter down to families.

 

Everton’s and Tesco’s plans are now in the hands of Knowsley council, with a decision expected within the next few months.

 

But many Kirkby residents oppose the proposals, fearing a football stadium would bring problems in terms of traffic, falling house prices and anti-social behaviour.

 

Tesco and Everton say the scheme has raised a great number of questions which need answering during the planning stage.

 

They insist the community liaison group should be able to answer many of those queries.

 

Although meetings will be held in private, they have promised to publish details of the discussions.

 

Ian Morris, from Kirkby Residents Action Group (Krag), said: “Anything they do to consult with people will be a positive step forward. They haven’t done any so far.

 

“The fact they are going to do it in private makes me suspicious that it will be people they have selected themselves, not necessarily representing the opinions of the people of Kirkby.

 

“For a representative view, they should be looking at the 3,000 objections sent to Knowsley council so far, objecting to the stadium and the development outside the existing town centre.”

 

The meetings will be alternately chaired by representatives from Tesco and Everton, and the organisations say they want to feed back progress on the project.

 

Michael Kissman, Tesco’s corporate affairs manager, said: “We see it as essential that community groups and residents are involved in the development of this scheme.

 

“Both Tesco and Everton are keen to demonstrate our commitment to Kirkby – that is why we are eager to set up this group. We hope the feedback it produces will be very positive.”

 

Ian Ross, Everton’s head of public relations, said: “We have been discussing the project with the residents of Kirkby on an informal basis for some considerable time now, but the formation of this liaison group will further improve lines of communication.”

 

I don't know what to think of this.

 

On one hand, it's good that a wider variety of people are being asked for their input, on the other why are they making their own group when one already exists?

[Bill]

As it says Louis, They will probably be hand picked out of those who agree with the move, you dont think they would pick a group who dont agree with it do you. Just another way of getting yes Votes from ground level, in an effort sway the masses who disagree.

[Romey 1878]

Desperation. I like it .