Olympic Stadium contract details to be revealed
- by Staff Writer
- Tuesday, 15th September 2015
Full details of the contract that enabled West Ham to take anchor tenancy of the Olympic Stadium are to be revealed, after the Information Commissioner's Office finally agreed to comply with a Freedom of Information request.
A year-long campaign started by supporters of Championship club Charlton Athletic has finally ended in success, after it was ruled that the full terms of the arrangement should be revealed.Both West Ham United and the LLDC had argued - successfully, up to now - that the terms and conditions of the contract should remain undisclosed in order to maintain commercial confidentiality.
However today's decision means that the club will be forced to reveal exactly who pays what and when for the stadium, which West Ham are set to move into next summer.
According to journalist Owen Gibson, "the LLDC will be obliged to reveal which costs it is meeting, on matchdays and elsewhere, and which are being met by West Ham. The exact terms of the lease, including a negotiated discount if West Ham are relegated, will also have to be revealed for the first time."
A spokesman for the LLDC told the Guardian: “We are disappointed by the Information Commissioner’s decision which we believe will damage our ability to secure the best deal for the taxpayer in future.
"The stadium will have many users and publishing the contractual details will undermine our ability to deliver the best financial outcome from numerous future negotiations. We always strive to balance transparency while protecting the taxpayers’ financial interest and we are considering the ruling carefully as we decide what action to take."
West Ham and the LLDC have the opportunity to appeal against the decision should they wish to do so. The news comes just a fortnight after the Government rejected calls to investigate the decision that led to the club being awarded tenancy of the stadium.
West Ham are yet to comment on the news.
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