Wakefield & District Community Trust.

Press Release 23-2-17

The Wakefield & District Community Trust announces that Sir Rodney Walker has resigned as Chairman and Trustee with immediate effect.

The not-for-profit Trust was formed with the intention of supporting the development of a Community Stadium for the City of Wakefield and was named as the beneficiary of the Stadium to be built as a result of the Outline Planning permission granted at Newmarket in 2012 following a Public Inquiry and continues to work towards that aim.

Jonathan Stone was unanimously elected as Chairman of the Trust following his role in the Residents for Newmarket campaign. Jonathan commented: “I became involved in the campaign to deliver Newmarket as I believed in the projects ability to bring jobs, funding and infrastructure to Wakefield whilst, at the same time, being able to deliver the much-needed new Community Stadium that this City demands. The campaign continues with these aims and we welcome any other interested parties to come forward and see what we have to offer.”

No further comment will be made at this time.

Thank you.

Interesting read.

Cheers TRB and all those that continue to fight, nobody holds you at fault for the mess which we find ourselves in

Mmm very interesting indeed.

Especially with what was mentioned earlier today.

If what said regarding him and Yorcourt are true then are we better off without him on board.

Our stadium issue has more duff duff moments than Phil Mitchell.

Need some councillors on the board with Red White and Blue in their blood.

I notice the standard 'we thank him for his efforts' line which is usual in these instances has been omitted on this occasion....

I think that's a sentiment more appropriately expressed by Colin Marckie and associates

I understand RW has in the past helped our club financially and I am grateful for that, but to say what the bloke's previous achievements allegedly were, he's failed miserably with the Community Stadium.
I can only assume there was little fighting to do to get the finances sorted for Wembley Stadium, Tour de Yorkshire etc.
In fact, the silence from that quarter has been deafening.
Was he just too laid back and inactive?

What an absolute farce this whole affair has turned into, I don't know half the facts never mind all of them but to an outsider looking in it just seems to have been a total case of mismanagement (if that's the right word for this) from the off.

The question is, what happens next and what effect will losing RW from the trust have ?
Whatever the in's and out's are, which we may never know, RW is a man of influence and without him, do the chances of NM (or re vamped BV) improve or, are we back to square 1 ?

I feel it comes down to political will. There is no will in our local authority to make this happen; quite probably the opposite. It is hard to follow the long threads on here about this but the bits I've picked up; it stinks to high heaven

Don`t think Yorkcourt exists anymore, sure I heard that a new company was set up recently

Probably his advice not to buy back Belle Vue, I thought he'd be good for looks like the reverse.
Up the Trin

Other than a load of hot air and flatulence the guy has achieved nothing, in fact his decision not to include Newcold being within the trigger development has put the stadium backwards. However he is great at self publicity and I am interested to see what his response will be to the situation. I have heard a few rumours what his next move will be so lets wait and see.

I would like to wish the remaining people on the trust good luck and I am sure that they will have a much better chance of achieving something now this failed chairman has quit

People have hinted at this being a pivotal moment and very soon the Trust are going to change tack, perhaps RW is disassociating himself with the Trust's next move.

If that's the case then I can see the next move being a final push and high risk, .......................................

I'm going to help you there and delete that comment Bentle. You can't say that (edit Poptart)

It's a shame that it's turned out like this as at the outset Rodney Walker was the great white hope for getting a positive outcome, in fact I think it was TRB himself that stated on here that his contact book alone was worth its weight in gold and could open more doors than anyone else could hope. For that option to be taken away, be it by his own actions (or inaction) and via disagreement in strategy in a major blow in anyones eyes. I just hope that he remains passive moving forwards and doesn't use his considerable influence against us because those connections of his are strong if he wanted to use them.

I guess the plan is to take it to court and try and get a resolution that way. I would seriously urge caution about going down this route though, it is an extremely expensive minefield and planning law is notoriously complicated as I know from my own field of work. It would be a very very high risk strategy and one that could equally backfire as be successful and as the councils legal bill would be footed by the taxpayer would also risk alienating a lot of public support in austere times. I would hope there is some pretty damning evidence of malpractice otherwise it coulod get very messy. As a side note i'm surprised if a staunch red rose socialite like David Hinchliffe would support this action against a Labour council, especially given the current state of the party. It would need everybody on that trust to be pulling in the same direction which is probably where it fell down with Walker. Peter Box & Co. will throw the kitchen sink at it to defend themselves, it will take a watertight argument and a bit of luck to succeed.

Would be interesting to check the timings of the Northstand roof payment. At that time I think that Glover and James Elston were on the trust, Rodney Walker by the sound of things basically ran the Trust and no one questioned him at that time, it is suggested that he alone attended meetings with Yorkcourt and the Council, no other members of the trust were invited to these meetings. Glover was committed to the Northstand Roof but did not have any money. It is rumored that Rodney picked up the bill for the roof, now it would be interesting if this was at the same time as Rodney , council and developer getting the fridge outside of the 106. Under normal circumstances you would expect Rodney wanting a parade of the city in his honor for paying for the roof. It only came to light when Glover went then it is suggested in Wakey Pub talk that Rodney then advised new owners that he was owed money for the roof. All speculation of course but interesting never the less, may very well be this new thing called Fake News

Well his purported considerable influence did not do that much good as far as Newmarket is concerned or else we would not be where we are today.

As far as remaining passive I would suggest allowing Newcold to remain outside the trigger area is more than passive, its laying down and having his tummy tickled.

Let's be careful what you start accusing people of. Saying it is speculation or something you heard won't help you.
Unless you have some Washington Post type damning evidence, don't say it on here.

I don't know RW but for my two peneth, I can't imagine even the most powerful of chairmen is able to get something moving if the council don't want to do it.
Regardless of the key decision and whether it was a constructed conspiracy or just a mistake, the lack of action implies it isn't important enough to the people that can make a difference...including Walker.
The only way it will happen if there is political pressure on those that can make something happen rather than trying to change those that could have, didn't and are now no longer here to do it.

Since the original thread appears to have died, I'll re-post here what I posted there:

The plot thickens...

If RW was on the board, or had any financial interest in YCP, surely he would have declared that to the Trust when he was being considered as Chair, so they could make an informed decision about any potential conflict of interest?

Such a significant stage in the continuing saga (RMW's resignation) is surely a trigger for involving the Wakefield Express in the proceedings. It's time they splashed this Friday's front page with the whole shocking story, with full honesty and naming and shaming if/where appropriate. Isn't this what local newspapers are supposed to be for after all. I know Rodney Walker from the distant past and knew him as a man of honesty and integrity. I hope his standards haven't dropped. COME ON NOW WAKEY EXPRESS. DO THE RIGHT THING FOR YOUR READERS>

Well I always though RW was a Wakey fan ,..Seems not ,but why did he resign ?

Can shed light on the roof payment.

From what I remember it was paid off in stages rather than all at one go.

I have been left the club nearly four years so cant remember exact dates but would say Nov-Dec 2012 time was the last payment

Jane McDonalds done more for Wakefield then Sir RW

Jumped or pushed???? And if pushed, by which side??