Venue in Rangers 'Fan Zone' row leased to club's charity for 25 years
Councillors have approved a deal which will see the Ibrox Community Complex, near Rangers FC’s Ibrox Stadium, rented out by Glasgow Life.
Last updated 16th Oct 2019
Rangers Charity Foundation has been handed a 25 year lease on a sports facility which was at the centre of a political fall-out.
Councillors have approved a deal which will see the Ibrox Community Complex, near Rangers FC’s Ibrox Stadium, rented out by Glasgow Life, the council’s cultural and sporting arm.
The £750 per year loan prohibits the complex’s use as a fan zone and blocks alcohol sales on site.
Last year, a row erupted after the football club was refused permission, by Glasgow Life, to use the facility as a fan zone.
It was alleged the council’s deputy leader David McDonald had intervened to block the move and opposition politicians, who criticised the decision, were accused of stoking sectarian bigotry by council leader Susan Aitken.
The foundation bid for the lease as the quality of the facility has deteriorated due to budget constraints within Glasgow Life.
It plans to invest around £250,000 in a replacement synthetic pitch and promote new initiatives, including promoting community women’s football, employability and recovery programmes.
Councillor Bill Butler said the lease shows what can be done if the council works with other organisations in a “positive fashion”.
“What seems to be here is a very positive development,” he said. “It has a whole list of positive aspects. I think it is a good thing and I would like to commend all that were behind this.”
It is proposed an advisory management board, made up of Glasgow City Council, Glasgow Life, Ibrox Primary School, the charity foundation and Rangers FC, should be formed to decide the programme of activities at the premises.
Public consultation on the proposed lease was held between June and August, with 758 responses.
“The consultation showed significant support for upgrading the facilities at the ICC and for the proposal put forward by the foundation,” a report to councillors stated.
Now the proposal has been agreed, services currently delivered by Glasgow Life will be stopped.
The report reveals the organisation will “consult fully with staff and trade unions on the implications of this, redeploying affected staff to other Glasgow Life facilities”
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