Last updated 18:17, Friday, 07 November 2008

A REFERENDUM asking Workington residents what they think about a planned stadium in the town will go ahead next month.

A public meeting was held by the town council at the Carnegie Theatre on Finkle Street last night.

About 54 people attended the meeting and 31 voted for the referendum.

It will cost the town council about £10,000 to stage the referendum, likely to be held on December 6.

The result will not be legally binding on Allerdale council, which wants to push ahead for a 10,000-capacity stadium for Workington Reds football team and Workington Town rugby league side.

Independent councillors Denis Robertson and John Bracken proposed the referendum because, they said, the plan would kill off the teams.

They want to see money spent on improving the clubs’ present homes, building a new leisure centre at Moorclose and on the town’s other sports clubs.

Coun Robertson said: “I believe it’s the only chance for the people of Workington to have a vote. The people of Workington have been totally ignored.

“Give these people some dignity - they deserve it. This stadium will be a disaster for the town.”

But Labour’s Gerald Humes said the money could be better spent on improving the back lanes of Workington.

He said: “I won’t support a referendum when people haven’t got enough money to improve the back lanes.

“At the end of the day a referendum is not legally binding and this is the wrong vehicle to use.”

Coun Bracken said that the money for the proposed stadium would have to come from the same non-elected “quangos” who put in the “monstrous” art work in the town centre.

Speaking after the meeting, Coun Bracken said: “Democracy has prevailed again and we have got to abide by the decision made by the public.”

Workington Reds chairman Humphrey Dobie said he was pleased with the result.

He said: “It will give people a voice and let them have a say. I am disappointed that it won’t be binding on Allerdale council. They should take the vote into consideration.”

Coun Jean Macleod (Ind) said: “The referendum will only cost 50 pence a head and the people of Workington are certainly worth that.”

Speaking after the meeting, Labour councillor Ivor Humes said: “I’m disappointed that we have got two town councillors that have actually put themselves forward for this. It’s a fairly useless exercise.

“To make a decision based on this doesn’t seem right because the stadium is an Allerdale facility and is not just for Workington.”

The referendum will be confirmed tomorrow.