Left: Edgeley Park – home of Stockport County FC for 114 years!
The Council’s Executive will receive a report tomorrow (Wednesday) recommending that, subject to due diligence, the Council will become owner of the ground in what is being described as ‘a genuinely commercial arrangement which would enable the establishment of a landlord-tenant relationship between the Council and Stockport County Football Club’.
In 2012, the football club approached the council to buy the ground, then valued at around £1.5m, who declined.The Council stress that Wednesday’s decision would be to purchase a land asset on a cost neutral basis and will therefore not cost Council Tax Payers a penny:
In the statement, is was iterated that:
“the Council will not, at any stage, be providing financial support to the football club but hope to purchase the ground in order to provide the stability for the team to remain in Stockport and for the club to progress in securing their own longer term future and footballing success”.
All political groups on Stockport Council have come together to support this proposal so that the club can stay in Stockport, close to the vibrant local communities of which it is part and to contribute to raising the profile of our thriving Borough.
Councillors in Stockport will monitor the proposals as they develop and reserve the right not to proceed with the purchase if the deal ceases to represent the best interests of Council Tax Payers and of our town.
The statement was signed by:
Cllr Sue Derbyshire, Leader of Stockport Council and the Liberal Democrat Group:
Cllr Alex Ganotis, Leader of the Labour Group and
Cllr Peter Burns, Leader of the Independent Ratepayers Group
Stockport manufacturer expands premises 
Greater Manchester secures funding for greener public buildings 
Planning approval for Edgeley Park expansion