Ambitions to double commons investment from Lincoln City FC parking

A panel hoping to double the £26,600 takings of a lucrative parking deal with Lincoln City Football Club have said ‘we want it all’ when asked to choose from a list of spending priorities.

The City of Lincoln’s Commons Advisory Panel (CAP) voted to spend some of the £26,652 raised through allowing the club to use the Malandry Closes for match day parking on a wishlist of items for the public areas.

A list of 12 recommendations before the Commons Advisory Committee asked the panel to pick four priorities with the rest to come at a later date, however the members gave the thumbs up to all the suggestions and instead left it with council officers to come up with a plan to manage the money.

Speaking following the meeting Chairman Neil Murray said: “We wanted it all and more, especially while we had the money coming in.”

He said the tasks would be completed as the money came in  – eparticularly as some jobs can only be done in certain conditions.

He added: “We should have enough. As the season goes on we should hopefully get at least the same amount again.”

The works include:

• Maintenance to two ponds on the South Commons, including clearout/treeworks (already costed at £10,000)
• Grass cutting and collect areas/locations, all commons.
• Opening more views on the Viking Way South Common.
• Installation of park benches on Commons (mainly on the Viking Way)
• Repairing the Victorian fencing along Viking Way and CrossO’Cliff Hill.
• Painting of Victorian fencing on both the West and South Common.
• New horse feeding areas
• Fence extensions on the West Parade gates in the West Common.
• Clearing out of the West Common golf club pond, the Victorian swimming pool and the ditch to the South West of the course boundary.
• And installing House Martin nest boxes on the West Common stable block.

The councillors had already agreed an £8-10,000 spend on installing, replacing and cleaning signage across the Common Areas and for £5,000 to be spent on updating the management plan (including hiring a consultant).

A request for signs which state that using drones is banned, was unable to be carried out because the devices are classed as ‘model aircraft’ which are covered by other commons bylaws and are allowed.

The money has been raised over the past few years by allowing the League Two team to self-manage the parking. Organisers charge £4 per vehicle, with £2.50 of that going to the council’s coffers.

The money raised through the deal is ‘ring fenced’ for the city’s common areas.

Fans have flocked to Sincil Bank following the success of Lincoln City recently, including promotion to League Two in 2016 as well as reaching the quarter finals of the FA cup that same year.

Earlier this year the team took a trip to Wembley Stadium for the first time in their 134 year history after reaching the final of the EFL Trophy where they took the title by beating Shrewsbury Town.