Hudgell and Pearson? Can't think of anyone else who falls into this bracket. State support openly to avoid financial repercussions, whilst simultaneously distancing themselves to council officials, whom they also have to keep sweet, from the lunatic toffee apple/asbo/coma commentary. Just a theory.

Cooke and Windass...

Presumably the minutes of the recent meeting between allam and the council should be available under the FOI act? Or maybe uncle harry could post a copy of his notes from the meeting

The majority of council meetings are open aren't they?

Decisions that are as far reaching for the people of Hull as this must be held in the open, loads of you lot are old and must be retired, go along.

it's a commercial discussion, so they wouldn't release any details under FOI.

He's talking about the private meeting between Cllrs Geraghty and Bayes, three senior council officers and the Allam duo. And, it would appear, Blind Uncle Harry as notetaker/fly/tealady. You know, the one after which Allam Snr swore that his final word on the subject had been uttered.

A Freedom of Information Act application should be valid and would take 28 days IIRC.

Surely it would only become a commercial discussion if someone presented a commercial proposal? You'd struggle to fit Allam's Woodbine packet in that criterion.

Mind you, we are getting into the pantomime season

true, it would maybe be classed as a private meeting, either way we'll never find out details.

to be honest, I'd find a transcript of a meeting between Tinkerbell and Captain Hook more believeable.

Oooh. Do you thing they're the shy senior sports people smiling at Allam out of one side of their head, and the council from the other?

It shows the limit of your knowledge if you have to resort to inventing claims. I've never claimed to have been at the meeting, I simply pointed out the gaping holes in some peoples take on events.

Nice to see the first steps of acknowledging they've handled things badly, but they still can't resist childish barbs just to make sure talks don't go ahead. Any wonder Siemens are looking elsewhere?

And your evidence for that claim is???

Allam's in the paper slating them very frequently. If you compare the column inches afforded to the council's viewpoint vs that of Mr Allam, there's no contest. Every reason for them to feel a bit peeved at how this whole thing has been portrayed. Still, I think this is a very reasonable position for the council to take. They've promised a referendum if there is a proposition put forward by Mr Allam with sufficient detail and clarity for people to vote on. They've made the first move. Well done to them. Let's see what full and swift reciprocation we get now - this will surely be forthcoming imminently if the Sporting Village gift plans and funding are as robust, detailed and transparent as claimed.