The long awaited Inquiry Report  finally surfaced.  I can think of many words that could describe this report.

However I will be generous to Mr Dominc Young QC and simply call it SHOCKING. The only possible saving grace as I understand it is that Basingstoke Council do not have to accept a Tier 1 decision. They can and should move it on to a High Court judgement.

Inquiry 

It is a lengthy report and there are so many omissions and inaccuracies that I could fill up a page of the Gazette to point them out. In essence the Inquiry was divided  into two considerations. The first was Housing and the other where we have expertise football.

My knowledge on Housing requirement issues is very limited. The only one observation is this:

Camrose Covenant

If you are a Planning Inspector one would assume that it would be important to check out whether the land in discussion had a Covenant on it. Also this Covenant has been the topic of much discussion. The Lord Camrose Covenant was given to the people of Basingstoke to be used for sporting purposes and is not due to expire until 2053. Looking at the lengthy document I cannot find any reference to the word Covenant let alone what it stands for. Perhaps they do not have Covenants where Dominic Young lives.

Winklebury 

Reading the Dominic Young version of his take on Winklebury it appears to be a picture of total confusion. The ground references slip through the grades from D to B before settling I think he says Grade B. It is actually Grade D. Lots of strange looking figures banded about as to who is paying what. The £250K enhancement championed by our Council leader Simon Bounds seems to overshot somewhat.  Young seems to have ignored the statements from highly respected Community clubs reps Mr. Steve Williams and Mr Colin Stoker that the ground is inadequate if the town club is to move up the leagues. Sport England and the Football Foundation were scathing of Basron in 2019. However reading his report he seems to think they were supportive.

Camrose stadium

The Dominic Young QC report on how the ground deteriorated is amusing. Somehow it was let go by the towns supporters and club officials. The dates flit around to suit his story. However the fact is that Mr. Razzak was in charge of the BTFC Co Ltd. from 2001 until the Community Club came along in 2017. The Stadium was in need of improvement when Mr.Razzak took over and it was key to the club officials at the time allowing him to form the limited company. However this is all glossed over.

Basingstoke town investment claim

Mr Dominic Young visited the Camrose ground on a sunny day. I can only think his sunglasses were a bit too dark.  Mr.Razzak had claimed he had put around £2.3 million into the club and the QC indicates sympathy with that. However when he was walking around did he not ask where the Investment had been put in. The ground in terms of stands was virtually the same as it was when Mr.Razzak took over. Also were the  playing budgets ?.  The team is currently two leagues lower that when he took over in 2001.  A minor detail I imagine for Mr. Dominic Young. There was much more of the same.

The Inquiry itself was a total shambles. Seemingly no agenda. Basron were allowed to put in submissions on the last day. They should have been put in at the same time as the others had put theirs in. Then heaven forbid box bundles of files had gone missing and of course gave the excellent Lady Counsel for the Council and the Community Club Barrister no chance to challenge.

And so on.

No Basingstoke Councillor should approve this farce of an Inquiry report. It would mean trashing the name of one of the town’s great benefactors.  Any that do should really be considering their position. This Scandal should be moved to the High Court when the evidence, will we would anticipate, be brought into scrutiny. Then everyone will be satisfied that whatever the outcome it was fair.