With York’s local election decision day looming, the city’s political leaders today reveal how their parties will tackle the issue of a new community stadium.

ANDREW WALLER - Liberal Democrat

MODERN facilities will help sport to flourish in the city.

A truly “community” stadium, which is the basis for the project, will engage with a wide range of clubs, both professional and amateur, and voluntary sports organisations. This will become a hub for the promotion of active lifestyles and health to all ages, building on the work which has been done in the city to tackle childhood obesity.

The stadium needs to have the capacity to provide more seating, as our professional teams hopefully progress through their respective sporting leagues. The Liberal Democrats were alone of the major parties in retaining a commitment to progressing a community stadium in their manifesto.

Since the inception of the programme, we have recognised that City of York Council is not in the same position as other cities – unlike Hull, we don’t have huge numbers of telecom shares to sell for projects like a stadium, nor do we have a large ex-industrial estate to regenerate. Therefore, we are going to have to draw together a variety of different funding sources to make the stadium happen.

By engaging with education and sports science through York St John University and the University of York, as well as related medical activities like physiotherapy, which has the support of York Hospital, we will make sure this is a facility which is open all year round. As the project develops, more public services will want to be part of the stadium.

Throughout the development process for the community stadium, the views and local knowledge of the Huntington and New Earswick councillors has been used. There will clearly be opportunities for local people to use the community facilities, but we are aware of the potential traffic impact. That’s why the expansion of the Monks Cross Park&Ride facility is important.

JAMES ALEXANDER - Labour

I HAVE taken a personal interest in seeing the community stadium move forward from a state of talk to action and am the only group leader to visit Chesterfield FC’s new stadium to see what a community stadium can achieve.

Labour is supportive of the construction of a community stadium which is a home for both York City FC and York City Knights. We want to see genuine community facilities and ensure the viability and future of the proposed stadium and both of our professional sports clubs.

The ruling Liberal Democrat group’s 2007 local election manifesto promised us a new sports stadium by 2011, and Labour has been critical over the lack of progress. The development of this project was a closed shop, and in return for continued support, I requested a cross-party advisory group be set up. I now sit on this board, and if Labour wins control of the council this week, I will continue to be at these meetings as leader of the council as I think they are important.

York City Knights have chosen not to engage with the board. I have therefore ensured agreement that the new stadium provides better facilities for the Knights and their supporters, and a standing invitation is given to their executive chairman, John Guildford. While there is nobody in the room from the Knights, Labour speaks up for them.

I have been working with Government ministers regarding Government funding which was promised before the General Election and has not been forthcoming. However, I have requested the council applies to the Iconic Facilities Fund to bring much-needed finances into this project.

IAN GILLIES Conservative

There has been much speculation regarding the provision of a new stadium for the professional rugby and football clubs in York, together with the relocation of the athletics club. Many football supporters would prefer to stay at Bootham Crescent.

Present proposals depend entirely on funding from a proposed development on land at Monks Cross. No planning application has been received and, if and when it is submitted, the process will no doubt take some considerable time due to planning regulations, and considerations regarding traffic, parking, and other statutory matters, in addition to the impact the development may have on the city centre. Consultation procedures will need to be implemented.

Until a business and financial model has been prepared, and is agreed by all participants, further tangible progress will be difficult. There is no doubt a modern stadi um will be an asset to the city, but it has to be affordable both to build and in its future operational costs. This can only be achieved through private enablement, with a limited amount of public funding. The management of York City Knights have withdrawn from the process. There are no guarantees of capital finance from the board of York City, and the potential costs of moving the athletics club are anything up to £2 million. In addition, assurances need to be given that clubs using the stadium are in a position to meet their future financial responsibilities.

For many years, I have held a season ticket for both the rugby and football clubs. My daughter is on the Football Trust board and my father was a shareholder in the old rugby club. I will continue to work to provide a suitable solution for all concerned within the present financial climate for the benefit of supporters, communities and the city.

ANDY D’AGORNE Green

The Council has already spent significant sums of taxpayers’ money working up the current proposals for a community stadium for York City FC, York City Knights and also partly replacing community sports facilities lost from the Barbican. So far, no reliable plan has materialised.

The current approach has a significant risk of repeating the Barbican and Coppergate II debacles, depending on finance from linked “enabling development” of a new major retail centre at Monks Cross. That could have a damaging effect on the city centre.

Both residents and visiting fans would have to travel to the edge of the city in order to access the stadium. If planning permission were granted, it would include an adjacent retail park two-thirds the size of the existing Monks Cross. This would be contrary to the draft development plan for York and would have a disastrous effect on the city-centre economy. Appr- oval could be further delayed by government planning scrutiny as the council owns part of the site.

The Green Party supports the creation of a community stadium. We have always believed the best location for this would be the York Central site, adjacent to the railway station, where it would be easily accessible for visiting fans and for local people. We have always argued vision and drive is needed to develop the whole York Central site as a leading green development close to the city centre.

A community stadium with a wide range of sporting facilities for residents should be part of this development. We would work with York City and the Knights to try to seek a financially viable way to attract the necessary investment, but believe the current approach betrays the loyal fans with a sham proposal.